Why You Need a Pre Purchase Car Inspection

Are you planning on buying a used car in the near future? Then you will want to get a pre purchase car inspection before you commit to buying the car. An inspection is a necessary step that you should always take with used cars. The following guide will help you understand why these types of inspections are an essential step in the used car buying process.

Insurance

A pre purchase car inspection may be useful if you plan on getting agreed value car insurance, as this will give you some professional documentation that you can use during the negotiations with your insurance company. A pre purchase car inspection will give you a springboard that allows you to more accurately assess the current value of your car and use that estimated value to get a better agreed value insurance rate.

Potential Damage

Even if you trust the seller, it’s important to have any used car inspected for potential damage via a pre purchase car inspection. This inspection can help uncover problems that may have been missed or were otherwise unlisted by the seller. An inspection before you buy a car is the best way to avoid the all too common problem of buying a used car, only to discover something wrong with it once you get it home.

Appraisal Value

If you plan on selling the car that you’re going to buy, then having a pre purchase inspection is a great way to start documentation regarding the car’s value. This will help you negotiate better with buyers, whether they are private buyers or a dealership.

What Do Pre Purchase Inspections Cover?

A standard pre purchase inspection by a professional will accomplish a few distinct goals. These goals are:

• Verifying that the equipment in the car is functioning properly
• Verifying that the car has a specific condition and that the condition matches the listing
• Uncover any problems which were not noticed or listed in the car’s engine, frame and body

In some cases, a car may be unknowingly damaged and this unknown damage will not reflect in the listing. Some of the most common types of damage that this type of inspection uncovers include damage to the frame, such as wheels that aren’t tracking correctly; signs of previous restorations or repairs that were not done well; as well as signs of fire, flood or accident damage.

An inspection might also reveal leaking fluid, rust which was not visible during the initial inspection, accessories or features that are damaged or not working properly, and even cosmetic issues such as hidden stains, tears, and so on.

If you plan on buying a used car, whether it’s for your own use or you plan to flip it, it’s very important that you have a pre purchase inspection done on the vehicle. A pre purchase inspection will help ensure that any problems are spotted before you buy a car so you can have all of the information you need before agreeing to a purchase.