Pre-Purchase Inspections

Few things put more of a damper on classic car ownership than discovering that the car or truck you searched for found and spent good money on is not as you were led to believe. The Internet has resulted in a great number of semi-anonymous automobile sales where the term “buyer beware” takes on an even greater meaning. Photographs can only show so much – and often make a marginal vehicle look like a creampuff. In classic automobile purchasing, it is critical to evaluate a purchase in person – or else adjust your bid/purchase price to account for the risk inherent in an anonymous transaction. Even when making a local purchase, it is advantageous to have your future baby inspected by a professional. The cost of a proper inspection is typically negligible when compared to the purchase price and can be invaluable if it prevents a costly purchasing mistake.

We are happy to inspect your prospective purchase on your behalf. It is best if we can perform the inspection on our premises so that we can take advantage of our equipment to gain access to critical areas – particularly underneath. But, we can also arrange to meet with the seller at their location (travel charges apply).

Our inspections follow a detailed documented checklist that is configurable to account for differences in vehicle type, accessibility (often an issue if being done at the seller’s location), level of detail desired, and whether or not a road test is possible. Upon completion, you are given a report with both a written description of the vehicle’s condition and a completed checklist detailing our findings. A copy of our checklist form is available upon request.

Inspections are billed at our normal hourly shop rate with a minimum charge of $170. Travel charges (mileage plus a reduced hourly labor rate) apply for on-site inspections.

Click HERE for a PDF copy of the Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist.