Pre-Purchase Inspection in Sacramento

The useful result is not a pass or a fail. It is a list: what is worn out now, what is close, and what has been papered over. That list is either a reason to walk away or a reason to take the repair cost off the asking price, and most private sellers will come down rather than lose the sale once you can show them what it needs.

I scan for stored and pending codes and check the readiness monitors, which is how you catch a battery that was disconnected to clear a light the week before the sale. Then it is leaks, rust, frame and weld repairs, mismatched panels and paint, suspension and steering wear, brake and tire life, and the condition of the fluids. On a 4x4 I go further: transfer case, differentials, U-joints, skid plate damage, and the marks that deep water and hard trail use leave behind.

You get photos, the findings in writing and a straight opinion on whether the price makes sense. I will also tell you what I could not check without a lift, because no honest inspection in a driveway sees everything.

What the job includes

• Full code scan, pending codes and readiness monitors
• Under-vehicle inspection for leaks, rust and past repairs
• Frame, weld and collision-repair check
• Brake, tire and suspension wear measured, not guessed
• Fluid condition and service history reviewed
• Road test, photos and written findings