Tag Archives: Pre-Purchase Inspection

Importance Of A Used Car Pre-Purchase Inspection

Monday, 10 May 2021 15:57

Written by Robert Swedeen

0 Comments

Importance Of A Used Car Pre-Purchase Inspection For many Americans, purchasing a used vehicle is the only route that they take. There are plenty of great deals and reliable vehicles available around the Blaine, MN area. Rather than having to pay the expensive sticker price for a brand new vehicle that immediately depreciates when you drive it off of the lot, a used vehicle may be the route that you’d like to take. That is, as long as you don’t invest in a dud! At Clark Automotive, we are here to help you ensure that the used vehicle that you are considering is in good shape. Through our used car pre-purchase inspection, we’ll evaluate every inch of the vehicle before you agree to the purchase.

Inspect Before You Purchase

It makes logical sense that a pre-purchase inspection is very important any time that you are in the market for a used vehicle. The current owner of the used vehicle is trying to get the most money for their car, and unfortunately, they can’t always be trusted. So, if you are interested in a used vehicle, asking the current owner if you can take it to our auto repair shop for a pre-purchase inspection is something that they should be ok with. If they say no, then you likely should walk away from this vehicle. Pick up the phone and reach out to our ASE certified technicians and get on our schedule for a pre-purchase inspection before you purchase the used vehicle. Most of the time we will let you drive right over for the inspection.

What We Look For During A Vehicle Inspection

When it comes to inspecting a used vehicle, there is a lot that our mechanics look for. For an affordable price of $90, our team at Clark Automotive will evaluate the following during the pre-purchase inspection:

● Exterior Inspection – We’ll examine your vehicle and identify any dents, scratches, chips, etc., and make sure that all aspects of the vehicle’s exterior are in good shape.
● A Look Below – What’s going on under the car is very important. We’ll jack up the vehicle and take a look below to identify any leaks and rust, as well as evaluate the exhaust and brake system.
● Pop the Hood – Our staff will pop the hood and look at the condition of the vehicle’s belts and fluid levels.
● Interior Inspection – Ensuring that the heat and air are working properly is critical. Additionally, we’ll inspect the upholstery, lights and seat belt operations as well.
● Test Drive – Going on a test drive will allow our mechanics to get a true feel for how the used vehicle drives. We’ll keep an eye out for potential warning signs.
● Computer Scan – After running a computer scan, we’ll provide you with a list of codes and recommendations regarding the used vehicle.

After going through the pre-purchase inspection at Clark Automotive, you’ll be able to make a confident decision on whether or not you want to purchase this used vehicle. The pre-purchase inspection is extremely important if you are in the market for a used vehicle. To schedule a pre-purchase inspection at our Blaine, MN auto shop, give Clark Automotive a call today at (763) 784-7944 or email info@clarkautomotiveblaine.com.

Pre-Purchase Inspections in Blaine, MN

Monday, 31 August 2020 15:48

Written by Robert Swedeen

0 Comments

Pre-Purchase Inspections in Blaine, MN Whether you’ve never been to visit us at Clark Automotive or you’ve been a customer all your life, we are always here and happy to be a mechanic that you can trust. When you are looking to purchase a new or used car, it’s important to know that you aren’t getting scammed. Unfortunately, it feels like you can’t take anyone at their word these days. So, when you are looking to purchase your next vehicle, take comfort in knowing you have a professional on your side. At Clark Automotive, we can help you with any pre-purchase inspection for your domestic, fleet, truck or hybrid vehicle.

Preventing A Bad Vehicle Purchase

While no one wants to think that being scammed or paying over price value could happen to them, it’s an unfortunate reality that can be quite common. Whether you are getting your vehicle from a dealer or a private owner, knowledge is always power when it comes to vehicle sales. The more you are aware about the condition and value of your vehicle, the more comfortable you can be with your money and purchase decisions. At our auto shop, we make it easy and convenient for you to come to that decision. Let our mechanics take a look and give you an unbiased, professional 3rd party opinion before you bite the bullet on your vehicle purchase.

Pre-Purchase Inspection

While the seller of the vehicle may not be intentionally trying to scam you, having a pre-purchase inspection can help you to negotiate an appropriate price based on the vehicle’s current condition. We do our due diligence in making sure that you are getting your money’s worth out of your vehicle. Our expert technicians take a look at the exterior, examining the overall look and condition of the car’s exterior. They check under the vehicle, taking note of any leaks, rust and quality of the brake and exhaust system. Then they check the engine, paying close attention to the fluid levels, belt conditions and overall performance. Lastly, they perform a check of the interior conditions, look at the heating and air, and do a test drive to see how it handles or note any warning issues. Should a warning pop up, they will do a computer scan that provides a list of codes/recommendations that a car may need.

No matter how great a vehicle may seem on a dealer’s lot, a pre-purchase inspection is worth every penny in the long run. Peace of mind and confidence with your purchase is always a great feeling. For more information about our pre-purchase inspections in Blaine, MN, give Clark Automotive a call today. Contact us for an appointment or call us and let us know you are on your way with your vehicle at (763) 784-7944 or shoot us an email at info@clarkautomotiveblaine.com.

Pre-Purchase Inspection MN

Tuesday, 16 August 2016 20:38

Written by Clark Automotive

0 Comments

Pre-Purchase Inspection MN When it comes to cars, purchasing used is a great move, unless you get a dud! When purchasing a brand new car, you instantly lose value the minute you drive your brand new car off of the lot. By purchasing used, you don’t lose as much value instantaneously as you do with a new car. However, if you have ever purchased a used vehicle, you always have a fear that the car may have an issue that you are not aware of. While most car dealers are trustworthy, it is critical that you bring your potential used vehicle to a reliable auto mechanic that can provide you with a pre-purchase inspection in MN. When it comes to a dedicated car inspection staff in Blaine, MN, look no further than our staff at Clark Automotive.

Mechanic Inspection Blaine MN

During the pre-purchase process, take this used car for a test drive over to our automotive shop and let us perform a thorough car inspection. Unless you work on cars regularly, how do you know what the dealership is saying is truthful? Until you bring the car to get inspected by our expert inspection staff, you will not be able to achieve that peace of mind that you are purchasing a used car in truly great condition. Spend a little money with our pre-purchase inspection so that you don’t find yourself spending way more money down the road by purchasing a used car in poor condition. Our team is eager to provide you an unbiased opinion on the quality of the vehicle you are interested in.

The Pre-Purchase Inspection Process

By dropping your prospective vehicle off with our team, we will provide the following services when it comes to our pre-purchase inspection:

Exterior Inspection – Our team will evaluate the entire exterior of your vehicle in search of dents, scratches, paint issues, glass or mirror damage.
Below the Car – Although the car may look beautiful from the outside, it could be a big mess once you look underneath the car. Let our staff lift your car in the air and take a look for potential leaks, cracks or rust around the exhaust or brake systems.
Pop the Hood – Next, we will pop the hood to ensure that all fluid levels are up to par and that the battery, engine and belts are in good condition.
Interior – Once inside your car, we will evaluate the health of the upholstery, check the heating and air conditioning systems and ensure that all seat belts and electrical features are properly functioning.
Test Drive – If you allow, we will take the vehicle for a spin to get a true feel of how it drives on the road. This will help us evaluate the steering, transmission, brakes and suspension.
Computer Scan – Lastly, we will perform a computer scan on the vehicle to see what codes and recommendations come up.

If you have fallen in love with a used vehicle in Blaine, MN and are ready to purchase, consider bringing it by our professional car inspection staff at Clark Automotive for a pre-purchase inspection. Give our team a call today at (763) 784-7944 or email info@clarkautomotiveblaine.com to set up an appointment in the near future!

Automobile Pre-Purchase Inspection Services Blaine MN Part -2

Thursday, 11 December 2014 23:02

Written by Clark Automotive

0 Comments

What should the Auto Pre-Purchase Inspection cover?

A test drive is an extremely important factor of a Pre-Purchase Inspection. Either as a tool causing additional focus of some particular automotive systems or to build your confidence in the car your considering. So a comprehensive review of all the auto’s systems, verify the functionality of the car’s options and features, confirm or disprove what you as the potential buyer deem the car’s condition to be. The inspection must expose hidden problems, if any, such as frame damage or prior and poor quality repairs and major crash repairs. Some companies do a 100 or 150 point inspection. What you should inquire about is what those checks cover. They should cover all operational systems of the car, such as:

Ignition System
Brake system
Cooling system
Suspension system
Starting system
Charging system
Computerized controls
Engine mechanical system
Transmission
Drive Train
Lighting system
Heating and Air Conditioning systems
Window system
And much more.

The Inspection results compared to the price being considered for the car?

We at Clark Automotive Clinic enter this area with a great caution, but with the ability to compare the considered pricing relative to what the various car lots or individual parties are asking. It is not the inspections goal to tell you what the car is worth, but rather to gauge if the price being considered is reflective of the cars condition and operational status together with market pricing influences. If you are paying $4000 dollars for a car deemed at that value, it would be expected you would not need to accomplish very many repairs. On the other hand if you’re getting that preverbal great bargain, you need to know at what cost in future repairs. Why is it a bargain?

How to coordinate the Pre-Purchase Inspection?

Clark Automotive Clinic will work with you to coordinate the inspection. If needed, we will speak with the seller so that they know whom you are taking the car to. We will strive to work around yours and the seller’s time constraints. We will need approximately 90 minutes to accomplish the inspection. We generally have to stay late to accomplish these inspections to work around everyone’s scheduling difficulties.

Other items to be accomplished during the inspection:

We prefer to have some time with you the buyer during the car inspection. The goal for that time is to go over any questions or concerns you may have about the auto you are considering. It is also good for you to be on part of test drive with us to review the operation characteristics of the car you are considering.

We will review the expectations you have for the car you’re looking to purchase. I recall a younger customer whom purchased a sporty car without an inspection and then brought it over for diagnostics. The issue being he had already paid for the car. The driver’s door hinge was worn, the car had a salvage title, and the super charger was not set up properly. Further the customer intended to drive the car in the winter. The wheels and tires, though new, would not offer any traction due to being so oversized.

If appropriate, we may advise that you the buyer review what the car will cost to insure. It is too late after you have purchased the car to find out you cannot afford to pay for the insurance.

Contact Clark Automotive today for an honest answer to your vehicle!

Blaine, MN Vehicle Repair Shop

Shop Location
9985 Davenport St. NE
Blaine, MN 55449

Phone: (763) 784-7944
Email: info@clarkautomotiveblaine.com

Shop Hours
MON – FRI 8:00 – A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
SAT (BY APPOINTMENT ONLY)

Automobile Pre-Purchase Inspection Services Blaine MN Part 1

Tuesday, 09 December 2014 22:45

Written by Clark Automotive

0 Comments

What is an Automotive Pre-Purchase Inspection?

What is the first step regarding a car pre-purchase inspection?

To find an unbiased car repair shop that is well versed in the inspection of a car that you are considering the purchase of. The average automotive repair facility can accomplish the inspection, but they are out to sell you services. That means they are not unbiased. That same auto repair shop doing the inspection has a conflict of interest. They are fearful of leaving you with the impression that the car is any good. The reason being, if you end up purchasing the car and need to fix something right away they don’t what to have said the car was in great condition. The unbiased car inspection will rather key in on preventing you from being surprised by the first upcoming repairs.

Is a Pre-Purchase Automobile Inspection worth spending money on?

The need for this inspection is highly recommended. We at Clark Automotive Clinic offer this service for a nominal charge ($60.00) to our clients. The list we use may not be as long as some out in the market place, but remember the goal of the pre-purchase inspection? The Pre-purchase inspection will/should allow you to buy the car without any surprises for the near term. The inspection should list immediate safety issues and near term repairs. The estimate of those repairs, though important, is not needed till you start to evaluate if this is the car for you. We started providing this service after a very good customer purchased a used car with much more wrong with it than he thought, given the price paid for the car.

What happens with free or biased car pre-purchase inspections?

Most shops use the pre-purchase inspection, some being free, to sell work. What they do is scare the heck out of you the buyer, and then you return the car. I explain it this way, if you pay $5,500 for a $5,000 car it had better be in perfect repair and offer the features you are looking for. It should not require any safety repairs and few repairs when looking at the foreseeable next few months. If on the other hand, you pay $4,000 dollars for that $5,000 car you might expect to need to fix something. The question then becomes honestly and with some integrity what are those repairs? So a free pre-purchase inspection showing $2,500 in repairs could be questioned as to correctness. We certainly have been called upon to offer second opinions when it comes to estimates. A customer once put it this way, “They are offering to make my potential used car new”; this is not an inspection, but rather an overstated repair sales estimate.

What should you expect as results of an Automobile pre-purchase inspection?

Those results of the inspection should identify deficiencies as safety, needed near term repairs, and pending future repairs and maintenance. Of course, “safety repairs” are needed immediately. Those repairs identified as, “Needed near term” should be budgeted for, and should be accomplished soon and not be left to pile up and cause other problems or break downs. Finally a pending repair is an identifiable repair or recommended maintenance item that you should also be installed into the budget equation. An example would be the timing belt and water pump repair needed in 15,000 miles.

What is the goal of the Car Pre-purchase Inspection?

The goal for the pre-purchase inspection is no surprises. We had a new customer inquire about an older and marginally collectable car he had just paid $2800 for. He had not had it inspected, thinking it drove real nice! He was having the car towed in after owning it three weeks with an engine problem. The engine developed a catastrophic failure estimated to cost over $3,500. This development may not have been discovered by a pre-purchase inspection, but the poor brakes, front drive axles, and two bad wheel bearings, would have made the $2800 dollar purchase of this $1,800 car questionable. The engine failure problem may have shown up on our internet research. The engine failure was a very common problem area for that particular model vehicle. The customer than not only had an expensive new repair, but also some seriously priced deferred maintenance repairs as well. To repair this car was not fiscally prudent and the car was junked out. Again, the bottom lines no surprises.

We have even more to share with you on Pre-Purchase Automobile Inspection, look for our next blog….Or just call us and we can discuss it further and set up a convenient time for you to drop by with your possible new vehicle purchase.

Clark Automotive Repair Shop Blaine MN

Shop Location
9985 Davenport St. NE
Blaine, MN 55449

Phone: (763) 784-7944
Email: info@clarkautomotiveblaine.com

Shop Hours
MON – FRI 8:00 – A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
SAT (BY APPOINTMENT ONLY)

Page 1 of 2