An inspection is a decision aid
What is still unknown?
Separate a checked item from an item the inspector could not assess.
Issues understood
Assess the full cost
Weigh the price, supported repair estimates and remaining uncertainty against your budget.
Important check missing
Arrange a focused follow-up
Ask what access, expertise or testing would answer the open question before committing.
Access refused or risk too high
Pause or walk away
A deadline from the seller does not resolve uncertainty about the car.
“Not checked” is an open question, not a pass. If several situations apply, address the unresolved concern first.
Before booking a pre-purchase inspection, agree on the questions it must answer. The useful purchase is a defined assessment of a particular car, with clear limits and a written result you can consider before committing to the vehicle.
Ask what is included, what requires separate diagnosis, and what happens if access fails. The booking checklist below is Roadfelt's suggested starting point; it is not a universal inspection standard.
Choose an inspector for this car
Give the inspector the exact model, year, powertrain, mileage and known modifications. Ask whether they have the equipment and experience to assess it. Our guide to identifying the car's version helps establish those details.
In its US dealer-buying guidance, the FTC recommends an independent mechanical inspection, including for dealer-certified cars sold with a warranty. It also explains that a vehicle-history report does not replace that inspection, and that a safety inspection has a different scope.
Use the records and the inspection together. Compare the inspector's findings with the invoices and gaps in the service history, then ask about any discrepancy.
Agree access before the appointment
Confirm the seller permits the inspection, any road test and the agreed diagnostic connection. Set the location, time, key handover and access to relevant documents. Ask the provider who drives, what insurance arrangements apply and whether suitable underbody access is available.
The FTC suggests a mobile inspection or delivery to your chosen workshop when a dealer will not let the car leave its lot. If independent inspection is refused altogether, it advises considering another dealer.
Do not assume a driveway visit provides the same access as a workshop. The RAC's UK booking guidance describes site conditions, keys, fuel and possible ramp charges. Ask your provider which arrangements apply to this appointment, and what it will record if a planned check cannot be completed.
Get the actual scope in writing
Request the checklist and a sample report before paying. A long list of inspection points is less useful than knowing which of your concerns the inspection can answer.
Ask about body and structural condition, visible leaks, tires, brakes, steering, suspension, controls and the road test. Which checks are visual? Which involve measurements? Is diagnostic scanning included, which systems are covered, and does interpreting an abnormal result require a separate appointment?
The AA's UK inspection packages show why the details matter: its general assessment has exclusions, while its Advanced package adds specified checks. The RAC's UK packages also differ in road-test scope, diagnostic checks and reporting. These are examples of provider-specific services, not standards that every inspector follows.
Ask the inspector to list inaccessible, excluded and untested items explicitly. Do not assume the fee includes dismantling, compression testing or diagnosis of every electronic system. Bring observations from your own test drive as questions, without treating them as a diagnosis.
For the tire assessment, our date-code guide and record table helps separate manufacture dates, installation evidence and questions for the inspector.
For an EV, define the battery check
Ask which battery is being assessed and what the result measures. A low-voltage battery check, inspection of the visible high-voltage battery enclosure, fault scan, charging check and assessment of traction-battery energy retention answer different questions.
Agree which checks are supported for the exact vehicle, which require specialist equipment, and what time, charge level and charging access are needed. Ask for the method and limitations in the report; a displayed range figure alone does not document how battery capacity was assessed.
For a specific example, the US Tesla Model Y manual describes an optional energy-retention test that may be unavailable and can take up to 24 hours connected to an AC charger. Tesla recommends it only when there is concern about energy retention. This is not a routine instruction for every used EV; it illustrates why a battery assessment needs an agreed method and schedule.
Agree the fee and the report
Confirm the total fee, any optional tests, travel or access charges, cancellation terms, and charges if the car or seller is unavailable. Agree when the written report will arrive and whether you can discuss it with the inspector before deciding on the purchase.
The FTC recommends a written report identifying the make, model and VIN, with estimates for necessary repairs. Ask which estimates the provider can supply and which need a specialist quote. Our repair-estimate guide explains how to separate the proposed work from unresolved diagnosis.
Seven questions to send before booking
- Can you inspect this exact model, powertrain and modification history?
- What seller permissions, location and access must I arrange?
- Are a road test, underbody assessment and diagnostic scan included?
- Which important items will remain untested or need separate diagnosis?
- For an EV, which battery is checked, by what method, and what does the result measure?
- What is the full fee, including failed-access and cancellation terms?
- When will I receive the written findings, limitations, available estimates and a chance to ask questions?
Turn the report into a decision
Read “not checked” separately from “no defect found.” Ask for focused follow-up when an unresolved issue could change your decision. Compare the purchase price and supported repair estimates with your ownership budget.
Keep a recall check separate. For US vehicles, NHTSA's VIN search identifies certain unrepaired safety recalls, with stated coverage limitations; it is not a complete history or condition assessment. Use the relevant official service for the vehicle's market. Our VIN recall-check guide explains the result and the next questions to ask.
The RAC explicitly describes its inspection as a snapshot without a guarantee. Treat the report as evidence for a decision, rather than a promise of future reliability. If access remains blocked or the uncertainty exceeds what you can accept, pause or choose another car.
Sources
Primary sources checked October 3, 2026. This guide uses document research; Roadfelt did not inspect a vehicle or test an inspection service. US consumer guidance and UK provider examples are identified above. Services and legal rights vary by provider and location.
- FTC: Buying a Used Car From a Dealer — independent inspections, reports and access alternatives.
- AA: Vehicle inspections — package scope and exclusions; UK service example.
- RAC: Vehicle inspections — package differences; UK service example.
- RAC: Inspection FAQs — access arrangements, charges and limits; UK service example.
- Tesla Model Y US manual: High Voltage Battery Health — a model-specific battery-test example.
- NHTSA: Recalls — US VIN lookup and coverage limitations.
Our approach: clear sources, clear limits, useful conclusions.
