Fairfax has more private-party sales than most of the surrounding area, which changes what an inspection is for. With a dealer there is at least a business to complain to. With a private seller, the inspection is the only protection you get.
Live coverage for Fairfax, VA 22030. 2 inspectors currently cover this area.
Virginia sells used vehicles as-is between private parties. There is no cooling-off period, no implied warranty, and no obligation on the seller to volunteer a fault. Once the title changes hands, whatever is wrong with the car is yours.
That is not an argument against buying privately — private sellers are usually cheaper and often more honest than the process gives them credit for. It is an argument for finding out what you are buying while you can still walk away.
Every inspection also covers the full checklist — engine, transmission, brakes, suspension, tyres, body and interior — with a diagnostic scan and a road test where the seller permits one.
Most private sellers are telling you what they believe. They are describing a car they have stopped noticing. An inspector who has never seen it before notices everything.
Tell us and we cancel with no charge. A seller with nothing to hide has no reason to object, and one who refuses has told you something useful.
Yes, if the seller is willing to bring the car to you. Most of our work happens wherever the car currently sits.