If you’re planning to purchase a second-hand vehicle don’t forget to miss cosmetic, mechanical and safety issues during your visual inspections and test drives. These problems are generally witnessed if the vehicle in question is located in another city and is purchased without a personal visit The best way out to remove much of the anxiety and get a precise view of the condition of the vehicle, it is advisable to have a pre-purchase inspection (PPI) done before the deal.

What pre-purchase inspection stands for?

A pre-purchase inspection is a thorough inspection by a qualified professional to determine the mechanical, cosmetic and safety condition of a vehicle before purchasing the vehicle. Most pre-purchase inspections are conducted by a certified technician who is knowledgeable in the model and make of the vehicle being inspected. The motto of the PPI is to bring to light the current conditions or to reveal maintenance drawbacks that may become possible safety or financial issues in future for the buyer.

When a PPI is required?

A pre-purchase check is highly appreciated if you are purchasing a vehicle without a warranty, or when the vehicle is positioned in another city. When there is no warranty, the buyer is right away assuming all the risk in case of breakdown or major mechanical issue. To ward off this situation, a qualified vehicle check needs to be conducted. Vehicles in other cities are more at risk when you are unable to take a test drive. After making a few phone calls, you can arrange a vehicle check with a local shop where you can get your vehicle inspected within a few hours. The resulting PPI or vehicle check report provides the buyer extra security during a long-distance transaction.

How to get a PPI?

A pre-purchase inspection can be conducted by any experienced mechanic or automotive technician who is knowledgeable about the vehicle in question. Automobile dealerships and self-governing specialty shops are excellent resources for a thorough vehicle check. In addition to the conventional automotive shops, there are now national dedicated mobile PPI firms that can inspect vehicles almost anywhere across the country. You can find Pre-Purchase Inspection" firms, online also.

What should be inspected?

Though, there isn’t any widely accepted standard or schedule for a PPI. The cost of the inspection generally determines the thoroughness and detail of the inspection. A basic vehicle check will be mostly visual, that includes putting the car on a hydraulic lift and checking for broken parts or leaks if any. A more detailed inspection will include a comprehensive road test where components such as steering and brakes can be evaluated. A thorough inspection will also add checking engine compression and a computer engine analysis.

How much PPI should cost and who pays?

The purchaser generally pays for the pre-purchase inspection. A PPI may cost reasonable. For that price, you can get a good overall safety and mechanical vehicle check, including a test drive of the vehicle. A detailed inspection of a complicated luxury automobile, with thorough engine tests, could cost a couple of hundred dollars or more.

The pre-purchase inspection is usually done before the sale; nonetheless, in some negotiations, the sale is contingent on the satisfactory completion of PPI. A clean report is the best sales tool, while a questionable PPI can curb the deal. To be fair to both parties, both the parties should mutually agree on the terms of the PPI before the vehicle check is conducted.