How a Pre-Purchase Inspection Works
What we check, the scan, the road test, and what happens on the day, including what to do if the car gets moved before we arrive.
The Full Walkthrough · Watch on YouTube
The Short · Open in YouTube
Your booked time starts a two hour arrival window. If we will miss it, we tell you before it closes, and you can reschedule or cancel for free. Read the terms. The narration is computer generated.
What a Pre-Check Covers
These photos are from a real pre-purchase inspection on an Infiniti FX35 in Riverside, plus a code scan from a Jeep Wrangler. The same walkaround happens before every repair we take on.
Documented as It Sits
A pre-check protects both of us. You get an honest record of your vehicle's condition before work begins, and a mechanic who actually looked at the whole car, not just the part that's making noise.
- Photos of the vehicle before any work starts
- Existing damage noted up front, no surprises at pickup
- Warning lights and mileage on record
- Related problems get caught early, while the repair is cheap
Buying a Used Car?
The same process works before you hand over your money. We inspect the car at the seller's driveway, a dealer lot, or anywhere in Riverside County, and tell you exactly what you'd be buying. We've checked everything from daily-driver Tacomas to a Mercedes-AMG on a dealer lot.
We do pre-purchase inspections through PPI Auto.
Mobile Pre-Check, Driveway Included
This Toyota Tacoma got the full treatment right in a Hemet driveway, including the part most buyers never see: underneath.
What a Pre-Purchase Inspection Is Not
We would rather you know the limits before you book than find out after.
It Is Not a Teardown
Nothing gets taken apart. We cannot see inside the engine, the transmission or the differential. Tests that take parts off, like a compression test, cost extra and only run with your OK.
It Is Not a History Check
We do not check the title, liens, odometer history or accident records. A Carfax or AutoCheck report covers that side, so run one next to our visit.
It Is Not a Certificate
We do not issue smog, state safety or roadworthy certificates. A finished report does not say the vehicle is safe to drive.
It Is Not a Warranty
The report records what one technician could see, hear, measure and read from the scanner on one day. It does not promise how the vehicle will hold up after that.
It Is Not the Whole Decision
The report gives you a straight read on the vehicle. The choice to buy is still yours, next to your own test drive, the paperwork and the price.
Every inspection is done under our Pre-Purchase Inspection Agreement. It is short, and worth reading before you book.
Know Before You Buy, or Repair.
Book a pre-purchase inspection anywhere in Riverside County, or bring your car in and watch us document it before the work starts.