Comprehensive Pre-Purchase Inspection

Why is a pre-purchase inspection so important?

When you're choosing a used car, it's easy to be won over by its appearance, equipment or how good it feels behind the wheel. But a car that looks good hasn't necessarily been well maintained. Some problems aren't visible during a routine inspection, while others only become apparent when a specialist examines the vehicle. That's why I've always said that a car should first get the approval of the workshop that's going to maintain it, and only then of its future owner.

We're not trying to put you off a car you like. Quite the opposite. We want you to know exactly what you're buying. Whether there are any faults, what condition the main mechanical components are in, and what repairs might be needed after the purchase. That way, you can make a more informed decision rather than buying the car first and discovering its problems afterwards. Because sometimes those unexpected repairs can turn into a substantial expense you hadn't budgeted for.

What does a comprehensive pre-purchase inspection include?

At Das Auto Service, we approach a pre-purchase inspection in the same way we would approach a car we're going to maintain ourselves. We don't stop at a quick look under the bonnet or a fault-code scan. We examine the vehicle as a whole, pay attention to its main systems and look for signs of faults that could affect its future reliability and use.

• Detailed inspection of the entire vehicle and its overall technical condition.
• Inspection of the chassis and main suspension components.
• Examination of the main mechanical assemblies, including the engine, transmission and associated systems.
• Inspection of the interior and the condition of the equipment inside the cabin.
• Computer diagnostics using genuine VW AG diagnostic equipment.

Diagnostics are an important part of the process, but they're not the whole story. A car can have no stored fault codes and still have mechanical problems. That's why we combine diagnostic findings with a physical inspection. We document all the faults and defects we discover, then explain them to both the buyer and the seller. If you have questions about a particular issue or the vehicle's condition, we're also happy to provide further advice.

What happens after the inspection?

Once we've finished, you'll have a much clearer picture of the car's technical condition. You can decide whether the problems we've identified are acceptable to you and whether the purchase meets your expectations. Not every fault means you should walk away from a car. What matters is knowing about it beforehand, rather than discovering it once the car is already yours.

If you decide to buy the car, you can request a quotation for the necessary repairs based on the list we've prepared during the inspection. We'll put it together and send it to your chosen email address. This gives you a practical starting point for planning future maintenance, rather than having to begin the whole process of identifying problems again.

Why do so many customers continue maintaining their cars with us?

Our own statistics show that around 80% of the vehicles we inspect before purchase stay with Das Auto Service for ongoing maintenance. That makes sense to me. Once we're familiar with a car's condition, we already have a starting point for its future servicing and repairs. And you know what we found before you bought it, so you can plan what needs to happen next.

For ongoing maintenance, I recommend changing the engine oil and all filters every 10,000 km or once a year, whichever comes first. DSG and S tronic gearboxes should be serviced every 60,000 km using genuine oil. These are important things to consider even while you're choosing your car. Because buying it is only the beginning. What really matters is how you look after it afterwards. To book a pre-purchase inspection, you can contact us on 0892 00 4447.

Advice from Kris Mladenov: My advice: take the car to the workshop that will be maintaining it before you decide to buy. A thorough pre-purchase inspection could save you a lot of unpleasant surprises.