What You Need To Know About Vehicle Pre-Purchase Inspections

You’ve found the car of your dreams: it looks perfect, drives well, and it’s far under your budget. When some things seem too good to be true, a pre-purchase inspection can ensure that the car’s condition is true to the seller’s description. A full pre-purchase inspection can help you understand why a car’s price is so low, or show you why it’s worth the number on the price tag. 

What Is A Pre-Purchase Inspection?

A pre-purchase inspection (or PPI), is an evaluation of a vehicle’s specifications, modifications, body work, general safety status, and overall condition. The assessment is completed by a qualified technician, allowing you to have a full report on the car’s present condition and its history. Here are just some of the important things we check in a pre-purchase inspection. 

• Condition of the Vehicle

  We check for any additional paint jobs, modifications, or quick fixes that may devalue the car. As car owners, it’s important to consider how modifications may impact the PPI.  



• Safety Checks

  If a car has had accidents in the past, we can check to ensure that repairs were completed properly and the car is safe to drive. We can also get a CARFAX report, allowing us a glimpse at the vehicle’s possible history and any areas to pay special attention to.



• Engine

  Possibly the most important element of the car to check is the engine. Checking what’s going on under the hood can give you the security of knowing that the car is in good working order. 



• Fluids and Leaks

  A pre-purchase inspection can tell you if fluids are leaking or if the car simply needs an oil change. 



• Belt and Battery Wear and Tear

  Signs of wear and tear on the car’s belts are sometimes easy to notice in a test drive, but further inspection can tell you if problems might start cropping up soon. Broken belts can cause major damage to your vehicle if left unseen to, and an old alternator belt can badly impact your car’s battery. While something like this can be fixed, extensive maintenance is not something you want at the top of your to do list after you’ve bought a new car.



• Tires

  Checking the tire tread for signs of uneven wear can show if there are any alignment problems, or if the tires need replacing. 



• Brakes

  Vital for safe driving, brakes are thoroughly checked in all of our pre-purchase inspections. Both the brake pads and the brake rotors are checked for any signs of damage or age. 

Why Is A Pre-Purchase Inspection Necessary?

Pre-purchase inspections will give you a summary of how the car’s been treated over the years. Even if a seller promises no work has been done, with a PPI you can have assurance that this is true. They’re also handy for giving further insights into any maintenance you might have to do in the future – if a part has caused problems in the past, it’s better that you know about it so you can make an informed purchase. 

A pre-purchase inspection may not seem like a necessity if you’ve had a good test drive, but more often than not, a car is an investment that’s worth getting evaluated before you dive in. If you’re a seller, on the other hand, the PPI can give peace of mind to your potential buyers, and help you get an accurate representation of what your car’s actually worth.

Contact us today and find out why we’re South Florida’s premier German auto repair, and trust us at Foreign Affairs Motorsport to conduct a thorough pre-purchase inspection for your next car.