£8,000 Golf GTI
Walked awayLooked immaculate. Underneath: undisclosed accident damage and frame misalignment. The buyer walked away from what would have been a dangerous, unsellable car.
Independent, at the seller's
Pre-Purchase Car Inspection in Dudley and the Black Country
Should you get a used car checked before buying it? If it costs more than a couple of thousand pounds, yes. We meet you at the car, go through it properly, and tell you straight: buy it, negotiate, or walk away.
Fixed £95120-point checkPhoto report within 2 hours
4.9• 370+ Reviews
Fixed price, wherever the car is
£95
Full diagnostic scan included
Report with photos within 2 hours
Phone call to talk you through it
The honest bit
Should you get a used car checked before buying it?
Think of it as odds, not opinion. A used car is most people's second-biggest purchase after their home, and unlike a house there is no survey built into the process unless you add one. The seller knows the car's history. You don't. An inspection is how you level that up.
The maths is simple. The check costs £95. The faults it catches are rarely £95 problems. A worn clutch is £400 to £900. A failing turbo is £1,000 to £2,000. Undisclosed accident damage can mean the car should never have been for sale at that price at all.
Elliot has inspected hundreds of used cars across the Black Country, and can count on one hand the inspections that told the buyer nothing useful. Every other one either confirmed the car was sound, knocked money off the price, or stopped someone buying a disaster.
Two of the four cars below looked perfect and had clean paperwork. That is the whole message of this page.
What actually turns up
Real inspections, real outcomes
These are inspections Elliot has done, not hypotheticals. Notice how often the paperwork was clean.
£3,500 Ford Focus
£600 off the price"Recently serviced", according to the seller. It was bone dry on oil and the timing belt was 20,000 miles overdue, and a snapped belt would have destroyed the engine. The buyer negotiated £600 off and budgeted for the belt.
£12,000 BMW
£1,800 repair avoidedClean history, one owner, and a turbo on its way out. The history check would have shown nothing wrong with this car. The mechanical check did.
Mercedes GLC, dealer forecourt
Price negotiatedNothing dangerous, but several things that would have become bills later. Knowing up front, the customer negotiated the price down and bought with their eyes open.
You only need an inspection to catch something once in your car-buying life for it to have paid for itself several times over.
How it works
What happens at a pre-purchase inspection
From the first call to the report in your inbox, this is the whole process.
Step 1
Book it before you hand over a deposit
Make your offer "subject to satisfactory independent inspection" before any money changes hands. It is a normal, reasonable condition, and honest sellers accept it without blinking. Most inspections happen same day or next day.
Step 2
We meet you at the car
The seller's driveway, a dealer forecourt or a neutral meeting point, anywhere across the Black Country. For private sales we recommend the seller's home address, so you can see how the car has been kept. We ask for the engine to be stone cold when we arrive.
Step 3
The 120-point check
Engine, gearbox and clutch, suspension, steering and brakes, body and paint for signs of accident repair, rust on the chassis and subframes, interior electrics, warning lights and water ingress. Everything photographed as we go.
Step 4
Diagnostic scan and road test
A full scan of every control module for stored fault codes. Faults a seller clears before a viewing usually leave traces. Then a road test where possible, because a slipping clutch or a tired gearbox only shows itself on the move.
Step 5
Report within 2 hours, then a phone call
A written report with photos, each issue rated urgent, soon or advisory, with estimated repair costs. Then we talk you through it plainly. Buy with confidence, negotiate, or walk away. Your call, made with the facts.
The 120-point check
What we check
A proper inspection is not a mechanic having a quick look and a listen. The same professional scan tools as our diagnostics service, a road test, and a mechanic who knows where the expensive faults hide.
Mechanical
- Engine condition, oil leaks and evidence of neglect
- Gearbox and clutch operation
- Suspension and steering
- Brake system, pad and disc life
- Exhaust and cooling systems
Body and structure
- Previous accident damage and repairs
- Paint mismatches and panel gaps
- Rust and corrosion
- Door, bonnet and boot operation
Interior and electrics
- Dashboard warning lights
- Every switch, window and function
- Seat and trim condition
- Signs of water ingress
- Odometer consistency with wear
Underneath
- Chassis and subframe corrosion
- Fluid leaks
- Suspension bushes and mounts
- Brake lines and hoses
Diagnostics
- Full fault-code scan of every module
- Emissions system status
- Airbag and restraint systems
- ABS and stability control
- Evidence of recently cleared codes
Photographed as we go
Every issue in the report comes with a photo, so you can see what we saw and show the seller exactly what you are negotiating on.
What you get afterwards
- Written report as a PDF, sent within 2 hours of the inspection
- Photo evidence, of every issue we find
- A priority rating on each item, urgent, needs attention soon, or advisory
- Estimated repair costs, so you know what you would be taking on
- A phone call, to talk you through the findings in plain English
Then you decide: buy with confidence, negotiate the price, or walk away.
What it costs
- Pre-purchase inspection, anywhere in the Black Country
- £95 fixed
- Diagnostic scan and road test
- Included
- Photo report within 2 hours
- Included
- Phone consultation on the findings
- Included
Comparable inspections from national providers typically run £150 to £250, and some of the cheaper checks on the market are visual only, with no scan and no road test. Ask exactly what is included before you book anyone, including us.
No call-out fee on top, and no charge for the phone call afterwards.
From the workshop
A recent inspection
A real inspection, described by the mechanic who did it.
Mercedes-Benz GLCPre-purchase inspection
Same-day forecourt inspection, price negotiated down: Mercedes GLC
A customer got in touch wanting a Mercedes GLC checked over before they bought it. We got out to the forecourt the same day and went through the car properly.
Nothing we found was dangerous, but there were a few things that would likely have turned into bills further down the line. Knowing about them up front meant the customer could negotiate the price down. A pre-purchase inspection is a small spend that can save you a good deal more, and it tells you exactly what you're buying before the money changes hands.
Isn't an HPI check enough?
No, and it is the most common mistake we see. A history check, around £10 to £20 online, covers the paperwork: outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, mileage discrepancies and theft records. It is worth doing, and we would never buy without one.
But it cannot tell you the clutch is slipping, the suspension bushes are shot or the engine has been run low on oil. The BMW above had spotless paperwork and a £1,800 fault. The two checks answer different questions, so do both.
Can't you check it yourself?
You can catch the obvious things, and you should, before paying for an inspection on a car that fails the ten-minute look. Arrive to a stone-cold engine. Pull the dipstick. Sight down each side for paint mismatches and uneven panel gaps. Press every button.
If it passes that, the question is whether you want to bet four figures that there is nothing you can't see. Warning lights can be cleared, clutches judged only by feel, head gaskets only by testing. That is what the professional check is for.
In their words
What our customers say
Brilliant service from Elliot at YourLocalMechanic. He is a genuinely trustworthy, friendly and reliable man. He came to my house, ran diagnostics and quickly identified and fixed the issue, making the whole process completely hassle-free. The pricing was fair and reasonable, and the service was excellent from start to finish. I would definitely recommend Elliot to anyone looking for an honest and reliable mechanic.
A Smith
Verified customer
Really fast and good service. The guy was really kind and understanding and I was happy with the service.
Carlos Arango
Verified customer
Second time ive used this garage for my cars over the years, both times it was a big job and both jobs it was sorted seamlessly and to a brilliant standard. So very happy. Great communication throughout and excellent service 👏
Christopher Ellis
Verified customer
This service is for you if
- You are buying a used car and want an honest, independent check before you commit
- The car costs more than a couple of thousand pounds, so a hidden fault would hurt
- You want it inspected at the seller's or the dealer's, anywhere in the Black Country
- You would rather find the problems now than after you have paid
- You want evidence to negotiate with, not a feeling
When we're not the right call
- You need a full strip-down or a guarantee on the car itself. This is a thorough inspection, not a warranty
- Specialist classic or competition-vehicle valuations
We'll always tell you honestly if someone else is a better fit.
Used car inspections across the Black Country
We come to the car, wherever it is: the seller's driveway, a dealer forecourt or a neutral meeting point.
Based at Unit 6, Turner Street, Dudley, DY1 1TX. Open seven days, 7am to 5pm.
55+ years between them. Hundreds of used cars inspected. £5m public liability cover.
Who'll do the work
Every job is carried out by Elliot or Keith - the mechanic who quotes your job is the one who works on your car. No call centres, no subcontractors.
Elliot Wheeler
Lead Mechanic & Founder
Founder of Your Local Mechanic. City & Guilds Level 3 qualified with 15+ years experience, specialising in modern diagnostics and hybrid vehicles across the Black Country.
Keith Wheeler
Senior Mechanic & MOT Assessor
Senior mechanic at Your Local Mechanic with 40+ years Vauxhall main dealer experience and a fully qualified MOT assessor, known for honest, careful work across the Black Country.
Before you book
Used car check questions
Should I get a used car checked before buying it?
Yes, in almost every case. A £95 used car check either confirms the car is sound, gives you evidence to negotiate the price down, or stops you buying someone else's problem. The faults an inspection catches, such as worn clutches, overdue timing belts and hidden accident damage, cost far more than the check itself.
The honest guide to whether a used car check is worth itIs it worth getting a used car inspection if the car looks fine?
Two of the four real examples on this page looked perfect and had clean paperwork. One had frame damage, the other a failing turbo. If the answer comes back "buy it, it is a tidy car", that is worth the fee on its own, because you stop wondering. If it does not, you have just saved a great deal more than the fee.
How much does it cost for a mechanic to inspect a used car?
Ours is a fixed £95, wherever the car is across the Black Country, including the diagnostic scan, the road test, the photo report and the phone call afterwards. Comparable inspections from national providers typically run £150 to £250, and some of the cheaper checks on the market are visual only. Ask exactly what is included before you book anyone, including us.
What does a pre-purchase car inspection include?
A 120-point check of the engine, gearbox and clutch, suspension, steering and brakes, body and paint for signs of accident repair, rust on the body and underneath, interior electrics and warning lights, a full diagnostic scan for stored and recently cleared fault codes, and a road test where possible. You get a written report with photos, each issue rated by urgency, with estimated repair costs.
How the diagnostic scan worksIsn't an HPI check enough?
No, and it is the most common mistake we see. A history check covers the paperwork: outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, mileage discrepancies and theft records. It is worth doing and we would never buy without one. But it cannot tell you the clutch is slipping, the suspension bushes are shot or the engine has been run low on oil. The two checks answer different questions, so do both.
Will sellers allow an inspection?
Honest sellers always do. If someone refuses, that is the cheapest inspection of all time, because a seller who will not allow an independent check is telling you something. A private seller with nothing to hide has nothing to fear from a mechanic looking at the car, and a dealer who will not allow it is not a dealer to buy from.
What if you find problems?
We tell you whether they are deal-breakers or just things to factor into your offer, with honest advice on severity and roughly what each one would cost to put right. Then you decide: buy with confidence, negotiate the price, or walk away.
Do you inspect cars at dealers?
Yes. Dealer warranties do not cover everything and the terms can be restrictive, so an independent inspection is still worthwhile when buying from a forecourt. The Mercedes GLC on this page was a dealer car.
Can you check the service history?
We verify what can be seen mechanically and tell you whether the history looks genuine based on the condition of the car. A "full service history" on a car that is bone dry on oil, with a timing belt 20,000 miles overdue, is a story we have seen before.
The car is a DSG or dual-clutch automatic. Can you check the gearbox?
Yes, and you should. Mechatronic and clutch-pack problems are exactly the kind of expensive fault that hides on a ten-minute test drive. The transmission scan and the road test are part of the inspection, and we ask for the gearbox service history specifically, not just the engine.
What to look for when buying a used DSG carHow long does an inspection take?
Around 60 to 90 minutes for a thorough inspection including the road test and the diagnostic scan. The written report follows within 2 hours. Most inspections are done same day or next day, and short-notice bookings are usually fine.
Viewing a car this week? Book the inspection first.
Tell Elliot what the car is and where it is. Same-day and short-notice bookings are usually fine, and you'll know what you are buying before the money changes hands.
We usually respond within the hour.