RAC/AA inspections to check over a used car?

[Conor D]

I've finally spent too much time on PH, and after stumbling on the MX5 forum and then being persuaded to take one for a drive.. I'm going to HAVE to buy one soon.. It's well over 20oC outside, I'm heading out in the car, I'd do anything to have an MX5 in the driveway now.

I've saved up a fair bit of money this year from working on my year out, and I'm looking to pick up a 2004 1.8 Euphonic MX5. There's one or two over here (NI) but the money they're looking is crazy (Around £7k).

There seems to be a few in England for about £4,500, which is exactly my budget!

The problem is though, i wouldn't be all that confident when it comes to checking over a car.. I'd have an idea what to look for, but I'd hate to miss something.. And as a result end up with a 4.5k lemon..

So i'm thinking of my options for avoiding (or minimising) disappointment.. RAC/AA inspection? Only about £200 I think.. And would give me some peace of mind. Something like taking it to a main dealer over there? And getting them to take a look at it..

How much can you rely on these? I'd probably have to fly over and then drive home, so I'm not sure if I should get a check done before I fly over..

Any help, advice let me know..

I've got the bug bad..

[MarsellusWallace]

Money well spent.an aa/rac inspection will tell you all you need to know about an unseen purchase

[Conor D]

Could you near enough commit to buying it before seeing it with an inspection?

Or could you be asking for trouble doing that?

[Gizmo!]

If you drop into the MX5 forum here, or MX5Nutz, you may find someone local to the car you're thinking of and knowledgeable would check it over.

The Euphonic is one of the best special editions; but are you sure you need to spend £4.5k on an MX5?

[Conor D]

Gizmo! said:

If you drop into the MX5 forum here, or MX5Nutz, you may find someone local to the car you're thinking of and knowledgeable would check it over.

The Euphonic is one of the best special editions; but are you sure you need to spend £4.5k on an MX5?

I've been posting on the MX5 forum, i'll check out MX5Nutz too!

The Euphonic is the nicest looking IMO, and has the best kit.. So I want something that I can enjoy, whilst being able to sell on after the summer.. And over here, they're alot more expensive that they are on the mainland.

[NiceCupOfTea]

They are OK on "standard" cars - anything a bit interesting or out of the ordinary and they are out of their depth IMHO.

Should be OK on an MX-5 though.

[Conor D]

Are they something that you could totally rely on? For example (in an extreme case).. Get an inspection done, pay for the car, and get it shipped over here.. Instead of going over and getting it.

It would work out about the same price anyway.. I'm just curious about how reliable they are.

[williamp]

you'd be surprised how much of an AA/RAC check can be done by an MOT and HPI check. Cheaper and more reliable too.

[MarsellusWallace]

williamp said:

you'd be surprised how much of an AA/RAC check can be done by an MOT and HPI check. Cheaper and more reliable too.

To the best of my knowledge no MOT or HPI check checks for repainted panels and minor accident damage.....amongst many other things.....

I've sold many cars where the purchasers have had aa/rac or even independant inspections done and without exception the inspectors spent an average of 3 hours looking over the vehicles,knew their stuff in relation to weak points of a particular model,accident damage and general bodged repairs,mechanical and cosmetic.

Worth every penny in my opinion

[MarsellusWallace]

Conor D said:

Could you near enough commit to buying it before seeing it with an inspection?

Or could you be asking for trouble doing that?

I would commit to a car which an independant inspector declared as a goodun.

At the end of the day these guys look at good and bad cars all day long,every day of their working lives.

[Steameh]

MarsellusWallace said:

williamp said:

you'd be surprised how much of an AA/RAC check can be done by an MOT and HPI check. Cheaper and more reliable too.

To the best of my knowledge no MOT or HPI check checks for repainted panels and minor accident damage.....amongst many other things.....

I've sold many cars where the purchasers have had aa/rac or even independant inspections done and without exception the inspectors spent an average of 3 hours looking over the vehicles,knew their stuff in relation to weak points of a particular model,accident damage and general bodged repairs,mechanical and cosmetic.

Worth every penny in my opinion

Sorry to drag this up, but when I come to change my car in a few months time, I am seriously considering an AA/RAC inspection, are they both as good as each other?

Would you have an inspection even through a trade sale, or is it more a private sale thing?

Do the inspectors take the car for a test drive or the owner take them out or jack the car etc, or is it just looking around the car for panel damage and things like coolant, oil and the like?

Just interested as to how much of a thorough job they do.

Just i

[Engineer1]

The inspectors ideally want access under the car, in my experience they are a little like a surveyors report on a newish vehicle they will be useful but on something old or classic the list of faults will run to quite a few pages.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Unless you consider yourself something of an expert they are well worth the money IMO. However, don't expect it to be the be-all and end-all. The key thing is to avoid buying a real lemon and these inspections, whatever their limitations, should minimise that risk.

[anonymous-user]

I've never had one done myself, I've always used a local garage to get it checked over instead.

The last time I had one checked over it cost about £30 and they found loads of hidden problems.