Vehicle condition checker. RAC etc
Discussion
Are companies like the RAC etc any good at prepurchase inspections?
I’m looking at buying a vxr8. 09 plate so not new by any stretch an I’m virtually mechanically illiterate.
The RAC charge £170 for the more premium service. Are they any good or are there better, more in-depth services available?
Thanks
I’m looking at buying a vxr8. 09 plate so not new by any stretch an I’m virtually mechanically illiterate.
The RAC charge £170 for the more premium service. Are they any good or are there better, more in-depth services available?
Thanks
I would try to find a recognised independent expert engineer in the vehicle type rather than use RAC/AA as they are not specialists on a particular vehicle but more generalists.
I would get over to a specialist forum and ask the question, if that fails to yield an option then consider RAC/AA.
I would get over to a specialist forum and ask the question, if that fails to yield an option then consider RAC/AA.
I got a check done by Dekra. I think they are limited in that they might stop you buying a car where there is something very obviously wrong but it doesn’t mean the car will be reliable. Mine needed 3 repairs in the first year of ownership having gotten a good report on my car. The indy’s I took my car to for repairs however said, overall, the car was good.
I have a fairly poor experience of car inspections. The best have certainly been the marque specislists when they can get the car on a ramp and really check it over knowing what goes wrong.
The generalists like the rac just look over the car and check all the buttons work, bit of a waste of time.
Even some of the specialist inspection companies are a bit useless from my experience. Had a 1969 911 inspected and the report was useless and was a cut and paste job which was factually incorrect ("has the desirable chain tensioner upgrade", er no it doesn't).
Someone like the RAC then is better than nothing if you can't do it yourself, but don't get your hopes up!
The generalists like the rac just look over the car and check all the buttons work, bit of a waste of time.
Even some of the specialist inspection companies are a bit useless from my experience. Had a 1969 911 inspected and the report was useless and was a cut and paste job which was factually incorrect ("has the desirable chain tensioner upgrade", er no it doesn't).
Someone like the RAC then is better than nothing if you can't do it yourself, but don't get your hopes up!
Can't speak for the RAC, but used the AA for car inspections a couple of times.
One for the wife's old Puma when she bought it from Arnold Shark. The AA guy identified the car needed new disks and pads all round, so the dealer sorted them as a condition of the sale, everything else was good so the check effectively paid for itself.
The other time was when i was buying a Monaro VXR at the other end of the country. The check showed all was good and provided a bit of reassurance when buying without actually physically seeing the car myself.
One for the wife's old Puma when she bought it from Arnold Shark. The AA guy identified the car needed new disks and pads all round, so the dealer sorted them as a condition of the sale, everything else was good so the check effectively paid for itself.
The other time was when i was buying a Monaro VXR at the other end of the country. The check showed all was good and provided a bit of reassurance when buying without actually physically seeing the car myself.
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