While it might cost you £65.00 to get it done, a pre-purchase inspection can save you thousands of pounds in the long run if any issues were to go unnoticed. In that sense, a Pre Purchase Inspection is worth every penny.

A pre-purchase inspection is highly recommended when purchasing a vehicle without a warranty, or when the vehicle is located in another city. When there is no warranty, the buyer is immediately assuming all the risk in the event of a breakdown or major mechanical issue. For this reason, a Pre Purchase Inspection makes financial sense. Vehicles in other cities present additional challenges when the purchaser is unable to take a test drive. With just a few clicks, you can often arrange a independent used car check.

The inspected areas include structural integrity, safety features, electrical and electronic systems, powertrain, suspension, fuel system, emissions, steering, comfort system (heat/air), security system, exhaust, interior, wheels and rims, and apparent state of general maintenance.

Next Car Check’s pre purchase inspections start from just £79.00 and includes our enhanced vehicle history check data – completely free.

If the vehicle you’re interested in buying is one of these, then we’re not able to inspect it:

• Horse boxes
• American imports
• Kit cars
• Limousines
• Motorcycles
• London taxis / Hackney carriages
• Vehicles over 3.5 tonnes or trolley jacks
• Specific high-performance vehicles (supercars or hypercars)

We also can’t inspect:

• Disability controls and modifications – although we can check the vehicle
• Commercial refrigeration units fitted to vehicles – although we can check the vehicle
• Body tipping equipment fitted to a vehicle
• Tail lifts fitted for any vehicle

Our Vehicle Inspection won’t cover:

• Dismantling, removing, disconnecting or taking apart any item on the vehicle
• Oil and fuel consumption
• Sources of oil leaks
• Multimedia systems or sat navs
• Cylinder compression
• Air-conditioning function and efficiency (using specific diagnostic equipment)
• Vehicle electrics and electronics (requiring the use of specific diagnostic equipment)
• Exhaust emissions and/or catalytic converters (requiring the use of gas analysing equipment)
• Habitation area of motor homes (electrical systems, water/gas fittings and associated appliances; body/caravan area for water ingress or dampness)

The inspection is carried out by one of our engineers or an engineer working on our behalf.

For us to carry out a pre-purchase vehicle inspection, you need the seller’s permission.

You’ll want to tell the seller

• You’re arranging an inspection, and get their permission to have it performed
• The inspection includes a road test – make sure the vehicle’s available

So that the vehicle’s ready for the engineer, ask the seller if the vehicle

• Has a valid MOT certificate (if applicable)
• Has enough oil, water and fuel for the road test
• Is on an off-road location on a hard, level surface
• Is reasonably clean

You’ll still have to pay the full fee if the engineer refuses or is unable to carry out any part of the inspection because the vehicle wasn’t set up for them. Plus there’ll be an additional fee for any later road test you ask us to carry out.

Our engineer performs a visual inspection of the car and carries out a road test. Any defects or notes are reported to you. It’s then for you to raise these with the seller, and it’s their responsibility to look at any defects or notes reported.