Two reasons to use a pre-purchase inspection service before buying a used car
Posted on: 21 November 2018
If you are thinking about buying a specific used car, it might be worth getting this vehicle inspected by a mechanic that provides a pre-purchase inspection service. Read on to find out why.
It could create room for negotiation
The results of the pre-purchase inspection service could potentially enable you to negotiate with the car seller and buy the vehicle for significantly less than the asking price.
For example, if whilst performing the inspection service, the mechanic comes across any damage or defects that the seller did not disclose in their advertisement (or when they met you in person to show you the car), then you may be able to use this as a bargaining chip of sorts.
In this situation, it would be perfectly reasonable for you to offer less than the original asking price.
When deciding how much to offer, you could simply reduce the price by the amount it will cost to repair the damaged car part (making sure to factor in not only the cost of buying the replacement part but also the fee you will be charged by your mechanic to fit this new part).
Likewise, if the inspection process reveals that the seller has added undisclosed modifications to the car that might make it more expensive for you to insure (as insurance companies know that certain types of modifications can make a vehicle more likely to get into a road accident), you can use this information to negotiate a better price for the vehicle.
It will help you to make an informed decision
One of the main reasons why it can be risky to buy a used car is that you don't necessarily have easy access to all of the pertinent information about a vehicle that you need in order to make a well-informed decision about whether or not you should purchase it.
For example, if you examine a used car by yourself, it is entirely possible that you may accidentally overlook faults that a trained mechanic would spot almost instantly, simply because you don't have any automotive expertise.
This is why it is worth paying for a pre purchase inspection. This service will ensure that you are aware of every single one of the car's flaws (including those that the seller may have glossed over or failed to mention at all) when the time comes to make a decision about buying it.
This, in turn, will ensure that you know exactly what to expect from the car (in terms of its road performance and the type of maintenance and repair work it will require) if you decide to buy it.
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