The great thing about requesting an inspection before you buy a car is that it will tell you everything you need to know about the purchase of that car. Interestingly though, it has as much to do with whether or not the current owner will allow you to have the inspection as it does with the actual results of the inspection.
A pre-sale inspection is a common occurrence in the used car world and any owner that balks at this practice is to be suspected. Let’s go through some of the common excuses that you may encounter when an owner refuses to allow you to have the car inspected.
“My insurance won’t let this car off the lot.” While this may be true, this is often an excuse for either laziness or fear – laziness, because they haven’t done the paper work to make the necessary arrangements, or fear, either of what you’ll find during an inspection or that you’ll steal the car. These reasons are usually baseless or an attempt to cover a larger problem. If you can’t tell which it is, it’s time to walk away.
“You don’t trust me? I’m hurt. I’ve known your mother/father/brother for years…” Trust has nothing to do with buying a car. Cars aren’t people and shouldn’t be elevated to the level of human emotion. A car is a thing, and it should be judged by the harsh criteria of a thing – safety and reliability. If you do feel the need to inject trust into the process, then think of it this way – you’re trusting this car with your life or the lives of people you care about. By that standard, anybody who prevents you from getting the information you need about this car is suspect and can’t be trusted. Again, it’s time to walk away.
“It’s already been checked by my husband/brother-in-law/mechanic/etc….” If the seller tries to shrug you off with this excuse, make a simple request – ask for the documentation that was provided at the conclusion of the inspection. A certified mechanic will always provide documentation of their inspection – this gives the potential buyer some recourse if the mechanic failed to find a problem with the car. If the inspection wasn’t performed by a certified mechanic, you’re back at square one. You’re better off choosing your own mechanic and knowing what their certified report means to you as a potential buyer.
The good news in all of this is that getting a mechanic to inspect a car you’re thinking about purchasing is a relatively simple process. For a small fee, most mechanics will either inspect a car you bring to them or accompany you to the site where the car is located. The mechanic you currently use for repairs and maintenance is a good place to start. If they don’t provide this service, ask them to recommend a mechanic who does. Any reputable mechanic will be happy to talk with you about whether or not they do car inspections and how much they charge.
Of course, a pre-sale car inspection isn’t a guarantee that you’ll never have a problem with the car you’re considering, but it can go a long way in allowing you to have reasonable expectations of service and reliability. And, after all, that’s generally what you’re after when you purchase a car.
