Perth Cars Pre-Purchase Inspection Service
The Buyer's Inspection Guide
Check a used car yourself, step by step.
The Buyer's Inspection Guide is a PDF guide of up to 40 pages, made for the exact used car you are looking at. It shows where to look, what to ask the seller and what each answer means, with drawings and a Yes or No for every check. It costs $29 and is ready a few minutes after you pay.
This is a general buyer's guide, not a mechanical inspection of the car. The decision is always yours. The guide helps you see the whole picture.
What is in the guide?
- Up to 40 pages, made for your exact make, model and year
- Every engine sold that year, with its engine code, so you can tell which one you are looking at
- The big-money items for the model: where each part is and how to check it safely
- Drawings of the car, the engine bay with numbered pins, and where oil and coolant leaks show up
- A service history table for the odometer reading, with the jobs that should have been done by now
- A step-by-step walk around, start-up and test drive, with a Yes or No for every check
- A colour on every No that says how serious it is, and a rough repair budget at the end
- Dashboard warning lights explained
- Your name, odometer reading and VIN printed on it, if you give them
- A PDF to print, or to open on your phone at the viewing
Who is it for?
Anyone buying a used car, from a private seller or a dealer, who wants to know where to look and what to ask. You do not need to know anything about cars. Each guide is written in plain words, and every check says why it matters.
How does it work?
Step 1
Tell us the car
Give the make, model and year of the car you are looking at.
Step 2
Pay by card
Pay through Stripe. We never see or keep your card number.
Step 3
Get your guide
We make it for your car. It takes a few minutes. The page shows it when it is ready, and we email you a private link.
What does it cost?
$29. Includes GST. One guide for one car, paid once.
Get the full guide · $29Free guide or the full guide?
Both are for the exact car you are looking at. Here is what each one holds.
| What it holds | Free guide | Full guide · $29 |
|---|---|---|
| Length | About 12 pages | Up to 40 pages |
| The engines sold that year, with their codes | Yes | Yes |
| The big-money items, with the question to ask | Yes | Yes, and where each part is and how to check it safely |
| Questions to ask the seller on the phone | Yes | Yes |
| Service history | What to look for on the invoices | A table for the odometer reading, with the jobs that should be done by now |
| Drawings of the car, the engine bay and the leaks | No | Yes |
| Step-by-step walk around, start-up and test drive | No | Yes, with a Yes or No for every check |
| How serious each problem is | A simple scorecard | A colour on every No, and a rough repair budget |
| Your name, odometer reading and VIN printed on it | No | Yes, if you give them |
| A PDF to print or open on your phone | Yes | Yes |
A look inside the full guide
Four real pages from a full guide for a 2015 Toyota HiLux. We blur most of each page on purpose, so it cannot be copied. Your own guide is clear, and made for your car.
Your car drawn see-through, with the key parts marked
The engine bay, with numbered pins
A Yes or No for every check, with a colour on each No
A rough repair budget from what you tick
Not sure yet? Start with the free guide
The free Buyer's Guide is about 12 pages for the same car: the engines with their codes, the big-money items, the questions to ask the seller and the checks to do at home. It takes about two minutes to make.
Get the free guideQuestions about the guide
What is the Buyer's Inspection Guide?
It is a PDF guide of up to 40 pages, made for the exact used car you are checking. It has drawings, the questions to ask the seller, a step-by-step walk around, start-up and test drive with a Yes or No for every check, and a rough repair budget at the end. It costs $29.
How is it different from the free guide?
The free guide is about 12 pages. It lists the engines with their codes, the big-money items, the questions to ask the seller and the checks to do at home. The full guide adds drawings, the step-by-step checks with a colour on every No, a service history table for your odometer reading and a repair budget.
Is it the same as a pre-purchase inspection?
No. A pre-purchase inspection is done by a mechanic who looks at the car for you. The guide is a plan for you to check the car yourself. It is not a mechanical inspection of the car.
Do I need to know about cars?
No. The guide is written for people with no car knowledge. Each check says what to look at, what a good answer looks like and why it matters.
Which cars does it cover?
Any make, model and year from 1980. We research the exact car. When more than one engine was sold that year, the guide lists them all with their engine codes, and tells you how to find which one your car has.
How long until I get it?
A few minutes after you pay. The first time we make a guide for a car it can take a little longer. The page shows your guide as soon as it is ready, and we email you a private link.
What do I need to give you?
Your email address and the car's make, model and year. Your name, the odometer reading and the VIN are optional. They are only used to fill in your own guide, and they are deleted 12 months after you buy.
Can I print it?
Yes. It is a PDF, laid out for A4. You can print it, or open it on your phone at the viewing.
Will it tell me whether to buy the car?
No. It tells you what to check and what each answer means. The decision is always yours.
What if something goes wrong?
If the guide does not arrive, you cannot open it, or it is for the wrong car because of a mistake on our side, we will refund you. The refund policy has the details, and your rights under the Australian Consumer Law always apply.