Who to hire for a used car to inspect before buying

Short answer

A licensed mechanic, ideally one who specialises in the make, or a motoring club's inspection service. Book it yourself rather than accepting one the seller arranges, and do a written-off vehicle and finance check by VIN separately, because a mechanical inspection does not tell you whether there is money owing on the car.

Soon, not tonightIt will not usually get cheaper by waiting, and it is rarely worth an after-hours rate.

When it is someone else

Calling the wrong trade costs an attendance fee to be told so. These are the cases where this problem belongs to someone other than a Mechanic.

  • the national vehicle register

    always, and before the inspection if possible. A written-off, stolen or encumbered vehicle is a dealbreaker no amount of mechanical condition fixes.

What to do before anyone arrives

  1. Run the VIN through a personal property securities check and a written-off vehicle check. It is inexpensive and it is the check that prevents the worst outcomes.
  2. Get the service history and the logbook, and check the odometer against the records.
  3. Arrange for the inspection at a workshop you chose, not one the seller suggests.
  4. Check for outstanding recalls by VIN with the manufacturer.

What to ask when you book

  • Do you do a road test, a scan for stored fault codes, and a check on a hoist?
  • Will I get a written report with photographs?
  • Do you specialise in this make, and are there known issues with this model and year?
  • Will you give me an indication of what the identified faults cost to fix?

What changes the price

No dollar figures here: this directory holds no price data and an invented range is worse than none. What follows is what makes one of these jobs cost more than the same job next door, which is the part you can actually use when comparing quotes.

  • Whether it is a mobile inspection or at a workshop with a hoist.
  • Vehicle type and whether specialist knowledge is required.
  • Whether a scan tool report is included.

What you can do yourself

Is this licensed work?

Motor vehicle repair licensing applies. The national register of written-off and stolen vehicles and encumbrance checks is a separate service, and it is the check that stops you buying someone else's debt.

There is no national register. Search the licence number with the regulator for the state the work is happening in.

Licensing thresholds and certificate requirements differ by state and change with amending regulation, so this page describes the mechanism rather than quoting a figure. The regulator’s own page is the current answer.

Common questions

Who should I hire for a used car to inspect before buying
A licensed mechanic, ideally one who specialises in the make, or a motoring club's inspection service. Book it yourself rather than accepting one the seller arranges, and do a written-off vehicle and finance check by VIN separately, because a mechanical inspection does not tell you whether there is money owing on the car.
Is a pre-purchase inspection worth it?
It costs a small fraction of the purchase price and of the repairs it typically finds, and it also gives you a documented basis to negotiate. The cases where people regret skipping it are not close.
Does an inspection tell me if money is owed on the car?
No — that is a separate check against the personal property securities register, done by VIN. If a car is sold with finance owing, the financier can in some circumstances repossess it from you. It is a cheap online check and it is not something a mechanic can see.

Find a Mechanic near you

19,898 mechanics in this directory, ranked on published evidence rather than on advertising.

Who to hire for

General information about who does what, not advice about your specific job. Licensing, consumer law and council rules differ by state and change; the regulator for your state is the current source. More guides to hiring a tradesperson.