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Buying a used vehicle these days is financially much more appealing to most budgets but buying a pre-owned vehicle can have risks involved too. Aside from receiving a Carfax or used vehicle report, it’s very important to do a pre-purchase inspection to have the overall condition of the vehicle checked so you can be confident in your purchase.
There are many reasons why having this inspection done is beneficial, and we will go over a few. We just want to make sure you not only get the best deal, but a vehicle that’s also reliable.
Reason one: Buying from a private seller
If you purchase from a private seller, you can’t be sure how well the previous owner took care of the necessary maintenance of the vehicle. For instance, if they have only kept up with the oil changes but never had a full inspection done to see what other services were necessary you don’t want to take on that monetary burden of catching up with past due services after you’ve purchased the vehicle.
Reason two: Buying from a used car lot
If you purchase a vehicle from a used car lot they usually don’t tend to fix all (if any) issues the vehicle may have, nor do they catch up on past due services that weren’t completed. The reason for this is that it would be too costly and eat up what profit they would be making. After all, from their perspective you’re buying a used vehicle, so you should understand it may come with ‘baggage’.
Reason three: Buying from a car dealer
Buying from a car dealer is a little bit different. Most car dealers have a used car department and they usually check the vehicles over well. This does not mean they put on new tires or new brakes because the same applies to the used vehicle perspective of the used car lot owner; meaning they can’t make the vehicle ‘like new’ because it will eat up all their profit.
So, why get a pre-purchase inspection before you buy?
No matter where you’re looking to purchase the vehicle, we highly recommended having a thorough pre-purchase inspection performed before you ever sign on the dotted line. We have helped many of our customers avoid purchasing poorly maintained vehicles, even if we’ve had to look over 10 plus vehicles for them, and we are here to help you too. At Quality Plus Automotive Service we do a thorough safety and maintenance inspection of the vehicle.
Our pre-purchase inspection service includes:
- Checking all lights
- Checking all filters air and cabin
- Any flood damage or rust issues
- Checking the front and rear brakes
- Checking all belts and hoses for abnormal wear
- Checking the condition of the tires, including pressure and wear
- Checking all suspension and steering components for wear
- We also check all fluid levels to see if they need to be replaced or just topped off
- We check all windows, doors and power locks for correct operation
- We use a scan tool to see if there are any codes for the check engine light
- Any possible wreck damages, we can access a service fax and Carfax report to check for wrecks and service work that has been done on your vehicle before you buy
- We perform an extensive test drive for any noises or driving conditions that might not be noticeable until the vehicle is in motion
Once our pre-purchase inspection is complete we can then provide you with an accurate evaluation of the condition of the vehicle. The cost of this service is around $120.00, and half-price after the first vehicle. You can take our word on it that it will save you a lot of money in the long run, especially if the vehicle has problems or needs a lot of service work after you purchase it. Our suggestion then is to take the vehicle back to the seller, so you can negotiate the price in which you’ll purchase the vehicle or to decline and keep looking for the best vehicle for you.
Contact us today in Raleigh 919-231-6164 or Wake Forest 919-453-0345 to learn more about our pre-purchase inspection and to schedule your appointment.