Car Audit
Pre Purchase Car Inspection in Hertfordshire & Essex
Buying a used car is one of the biggest cash purchases most people ever make, and it is the one you are most likely to make on a gut feeling in a stranger's driveway. A pre purchase car inspection puts a qualified mechanic between you and an expensive mistake. Before you hand over a penny, I come out to the car, work through 220+ checks by hand, and tell you straight: buy it, negotiate, or walk away.
What is a pre purchase car inspection?
It is an independent, professional check of a used car carried out before you buy it. Rather than trusting the advert or a quick look round the forecourt, you get a mechanic examining the vehicle properly: mechanically, structurally, electrically, and out on the road. You come away with a written report of the car's real condition, so the decision is based on fact rather than hope.
What the inspection covers
Every car gets the full audit, top to bottom. Engine and mechanical, a diagnostic fault-code scan, gearbox and drivetrain, brakes, suspension and steering, bodywork with paint-depth readings, the underside and chassis, tyres and wheels, interior and electrics, and a proper road test. The paperwork gets the same treatment: MOT history, mileage record, outstanding finance and write-off markers.
See the full 220+ point checklist
How it works
You book online and tell me where the car is. I contact the seller, arrange access, and drive out to inspect it, anywhere in Hertfordshire or Essex. You do not need to be there. A written Red Flag Report lands in your inbox within 24 hours, with photos of anything flagged and a clear buy, negotiate or walk-away verdict.
Why an independent inspection matters
I have no relationship with the seller, the dealer, or any manufacturer. I am not there to make a sale. The only person I answer to is you, the buyer. That is the whole point of an independent pre purchase inspection: an honest read on the car, with nothing riding on whether you go ahead.
Areas we cover
Car Audit is a mobile pre purchase inspection service across Hertfordshire and Essex, including St Albans, Watford, Stevenage, Hemel Hempstead, Chelmsford, Colchester, Southend and Harlow, plus the towns and villages around them. Not sure the car is in range? Drop the seller's postcode into the coverage checker on the prices page and it will flag any edge-of-area jobs before you commit.
What it costs
Every vehicle gets the same complete 220+ point audit at one flat price, whatever you are buying. No cut-down basic option, no bronze-silver-gold nonsense, and no surprises when the size of the car turns out to matter after all. One audit, one price.
Common questions
Do I need to be there for the inspection?
No. Plenty of buyers leave the whole thing to me and just wait for the report. You are welcome to come along if you would like to.
How long does it take?
Usually 60 to 120 minutes on the car, depending on its size and what turns up. The written report follows within 24 hours, often the same day.
What if the seller will not allow an inspection?
That is useful information in itself. A genuine seller with nothing to hide rarely objects to an independent check. If a seller refuses, I would treat it as a red flag and think hard before going any further.
Is an inspection worth it on a cheaper car?
Often more so. On a budget car, one hidden fault can cost more than the car is worth. The inspection fee is small next to a gearbox or a head gasket.
Book your inspection online or message me on WhatsApp with the advert and I will take it from there.