AA used car inspections
Discussion
Hi all,
I'm looking to buy a used car no older than 2007 and although i'm learning about cars i don't feel confident enough to be able to comprehensively check over a car before buying it. I see the AA can carry out vehicle inspections for you, i was just wondering if anyone has any experience of this service and whether its worth the cost (>£100), what checks they actually do and what happens if they say "don't buy it" you'd have to keep having these checks which could lead to a hefty bill in the end. Presumably a dealership wouldn't mind me having one of these inspections carried out? It would take up some of their time i suppose. The AA do basic and comprehensive options depending on the age of the car:
http://www.theaa.com/vehicle-inspections/index.htm...
Thanks for any advice.
Matt
I'm looking to buy a used car no older than 2007 and although i'm learning about cars i don't feel confident enough to be able to comprehensively check over a car before buying it. I see the AA can carry out vehicle inspections for you, i was just wondering if anyone has any experience of this service and whether its worth the cost (>£100), what checks they actually do and what happens if they say "don't buy it" you'd have to keep having these checks which could lead to a hefty bill in the end. Presumably a dealership wouldn't mind me having one of these inspections carried out? It would take up some of their time i suppose. The AA do basic and comprehensive options depending on the age of the car:
http://www.theaa.com/vehicle-inspections/index.htm...
Thanks for any advice.
Matt
They won't say "don't buy" but will give you a report detailing condition etc.
A lot of it you can do yourself (checking paperwork, history, MOT history, HPI, ownership etc)
Sometimes you can save the cost of the inspection, if brakes are low you may be able to get some extra money off or have them replaced before collection.
Agree a deal on the car, "subject to a satisfactory inspection" first. No reputable dealer will object to this
If it gives you the confidence to buy a car, then it's money well spent but there are better ways of doing it.
A lot of it you can do yourself (checking paperwork, history, MOT history, HPI, ownership etc)
Sometimes you can save the cost of the inspection, if brakes are low you may be able to get some extra money off or have them replaced before collection.
Agree a deal on the car, "subject to a satisfactory inspection" first. No reputable dealer will object to this
If it gives you the confidence to buy a car, then it's money well spent but there are better ways of doing it.
Edited by PositronicRay on Sunday 11th January 13:04
Re AA inspections.
For someone who lacks the confidence to assess the condition of a potential purchase, they are a good idea. If buying from a franchised dealer, they are probably not worth the investment. You are covered, in law, from buying a 'wrongun' if you buy from a genuine motor trader. If you buy privately then you are leaving yourself wide open to all sorts of pitfalls, as you DO NOT have the law to protect you, so an AA inspection might well be a good investment.
Keep in mind, though, that an AA inspector is under some sort of veiled pressure to find 'something' wrong, even if very minor, in order to justify the cost.
For someone who lacks the confidence to assess the condition of a potential purchase, they are a good idea. If buying from a franchised dealer, they are probably not worth the investment. You are covered, in law, from buying a 'wrongun' if you buy from a genuine motor trader. If you buy privately then you are leaving yourself wide open to all sorts of pitfalls, as you DO NOT have the law to protect you, so an AA inspection might well be a good investment.
Keep in mind, though, that an AA inspector is under some sort of veiled pressure to find 'something' wrong, even if very minor, in order to justify the cost.
Problem with the AA is that they don't do inspections. They just sub it out to a 3rd party - frequently some local self employed bloke via an agent. They never use actual AA employed engineers for them.
They don't cover much a new MOT and a good look at the documents yourself will do.
They don't cover much a new MOT and a good look at the documents yourself will do.
I've used this guy before, I found him and the report very professional. He's not nationwide however.
http://www.inspectacar.net/
http://www.inspectacar.net/
Thanks for all the comments some helpful points there. I was under the impression that an MOT test really only assesses the cars road worthiness and safety which is obviously important but that it doesn't really cover assessing the engine itself. Are there any major things (that could be costly if overlooked) that aren't checked in the MOT that could be checked by myself at the dealership? Apart from the cars history.
is it reasonable to tell the dealership that I would buy the car assuming it looked ok to me and so long as they had it MOT'd and they pay for it? That would be some kind of haggling. If the car has had an MOT within the last 3 months though would it be worth doing it again?
Thanks again
is it reasonable to tell the dealership that I would buy the car assuming it looked ok to me and so long as they had it MOT'd and they pay for it? That would be some kind of haggling. If the car has had an MOT within the last 3 months though would it be worth doing it again?
Thanks again
u0362565 said:
Thanks for all the comments some helpful points there. I was under the impression that an MOT test really only assesses the cars road worthiness and safety which is obviously important but that it doesn't really cover assessing the engine itself. Are there any major things (that could be costly if overlooked) that aren't checked in the MOT that could be checked by myself at the dealership? Apart from the cars history.
is it reasonable to tell the dealership that I would buy the car assuming it looked ok to me and so long as they had it MOT'd and they pay for it? That would be some kind of haggling. If the car has had an MOT within the last 3 months though would it be worth doing it again?
Thanks again
An MOT is a basic safety inspection and while advisories etc are an indicator it shouldn't be relied upon.is it reasonable to tell the dealership that I would buy the car assuming it looked ok to me and so long as they had it MOT'd and they pay for it? That would be some kind of haggling. If the car has had an MOT within the last 3 months though would it be worth doing it again?
Thanks again
If you have a friendly MOT tester or mechanic who can take you over the car properly this is better.
I'd want a proper inspection to include bodywork (poor repairs etc) as well as engine, drivechain, brakes, suspension, interior, glass, electrics, tyres etc.
How old is the car you're thinking of buying? Sometimes it's better to have an inspection done by a decent marque specialist.
The AA offer different levels of inspection, and certainly the more expensive inspections are more than just a MOT. I had a 'top-of-the-range' inspection done on my S2000 last year before buying it, and to my mind it was money well spent. As it happened there was nothing wrong with my car, indeed the guy said it was "one of the best he's ever seen", but the investment of £150ish quid was worth it from the point of view of piece of mind. If you get one of the more expensive inspections, you get a verbal report over the phone once the inspection has been done, and a very detailed written report when it's been typed up.
The drawbacks noted above are the case: The inspection is carried out by an independent subcontracted inspector, not necessarily an AA employee; having said that, I'm not really bothered who he's employed by, so long as he knows what he's talking about - possibly this is the luck of the draw in terms of who is chosen to look at your car. I'm not sure what sort of comeback there is should they overlook something significant that subsequently goes wrong; I'm sure there will be some guarantee of some kind but I dare say it's very limited in scope and time.
The drawbacks noted above are the case: The inspection is carried out by an independent subcontracted inspector, not necessarily an AA employee; having said that, I'm not really bothered who he's employed by, so long as he knows what he's talking about - possibly this is the luck of the draw in terms of who is chosen to look at your car. I'm not sure what sort of comeback there is should they overlook something significant that subsequently goes wrong; I'm sure there will be some guarantee of some kind but I dare say it's very limited in scope and time.
i worked at a garage a while back and we had the odd car inspected , its not something i would bother with , they missed lots of stuff us workers had noticed and picked up on silly bits that would have made the buyer worry over nothing
as said fresh mot and maybe find a mate that can have a good poke round for some beer tokens
as said fresh mot and maybe find a mate that can have a good poke round for some beer tokens
I'm not familiar with what a marque specialist is.
The car is purely hypothetical right now but looking to purchase within the next 6-8 months i'd say. Its probably going to be a 2007-2008 Mark 6 Fiesta but would also consider a Mark 4 VW Polo. Budget is £3k but could push to £3.5k for a good example. I've never bought my own car before and don't know anyone who's particularly knowledgeable except perhaps my dad who i'd need to fly up to edinburgh to help me out!
I think as you say if the inspector overlooks something that they were supposed to check maybe they'd refund the cost of inspection but i don't know how you'd prove that the problem didn't arise afterwards.
I will definitely consider an inspection though.
cheers
The car is purely hypothetical right now but looking to purchase within the next 6-8 months i'd say. Its probably going to be a 2007-2008 Mark 6 Fiesta but would also consider a Mark 4 VW Polo. Budget is £3k but could push to £3.5k for a good example. I've never bought my own car before and don't know anyone who's particularly knowledgeable except perhaps my dad who i'd need to fly up to edinburgh to help me out!
I think as you say if the inspector overlooks something that they were supposed to check maybe they'd refund the cost of inspection but i don't know how you'd prove that the problem didn't arise afterwards.
I will definitely consider an inspection though.
cheers
u0362565 said:
I'm not familiar with what a marque specialist is.
cheers
It's a garage that are very familiar with the type of car you'd be looking to buy. I'm not sure how people get these done tbh. Does the garage send an engineer of does the car go to the garage? Sounds like a lot of cooperation required all round to make it happen.cheers
swisstoni said:
u0362565 said:
I'm not familiar with what a marque specialist is.
cheers
It's a garage that are very familiar with the type of car you'd be looking to buy. I'm not sure how people get these done tbh. Does the garage send an engineer of does the car go to the garage? Sounds like a lot of cooperation required all round to make it happen.cheers
When I bought my current Mondeo, an AA inspection saved me from buying a dog. Revealed the first car I was about to buy had been in a serious shunt. Among other issues.
The car I actually bought came back as close to perfect. Went with it and haven't had a problem. Money well spent, and both dealers were happy to have the AA in and even encouraged it.
If a dealer balks at the idea, walk away. Most will not.
The car I actually bought came back as close to perfect. Went with it and haven't had a problem. Money well spent, and both dealers were happy to have the AA in and even encouraged it.
If a dealer balks at the idea, walk away. Most will not.
datum77 said:
Re AA inspections.
For someone who lacks the confidence to assess the condition of a potential purchase, they are a good idea. If buying from a franchised dealer, they are probably not worth the investment. You are covered, in law, from buying a 'wrongun' if you buy from a genuine motor trader. If you buy privately then you are leaving yourself wide open to all sorts of pitfalls, as you DO NOT have the law to protect you, so an AA inspection might well be a good investment.
Keep in mind, though, that an AA inspector is under some sort of veiled pressure to find 'something' wrong, even if very minor, in order to justify the cost.
Agree with this - have purchased most of my cars from decent looking dealers, with varying amounts of warranty, and would never bother with an inspection. For someone who lacks the confidence to assess the condition of a potential purchase, they are a good idea. If buying from a franchised dealer, they are probably not worth the investment. You are covered, in law, from buying a 'wrongun' if you buy from a genuine motor trader. If you buy privately then you are leaving yourself wide open to all sorts of pitfalls, as you DO NOT have the law to protect you, so an AA inspection might well be a good investment.
Keep in mind, though, that an AA inspector is under some sort of veiled pressure to find 'something' wrong, even if very minor, in order to justify the cost.
However, 20 + years ago I was interested in a nice looking vintage Beetle. Paid a few quid for an inspection and the chap from the AA called me to say don't bother. Can't recall the faults but there was a fair list when the report arrived.
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