Know what needs attention before you agree to buy. Get the engine, gearbox, body, underbody and electronics checked, with written findings and photos to help you discuss repairs with the seller.
Current price and included checks confirmed for your car before booking.
Have the listing ready? Send the model, year, mileage and seller location.
The vehicle, access to its systems and any additional tests affect the final quote. Confirm the inspection before arranging the seller’s visit.
Use this existing published range as a planning guide. The current total is confirmed after you share the car’s details.
Usually 1–2 hours
Timing depends on vehicle condition, access and the agreed checks.
Before you approve Ask for the total including any applicable VAT. Repairs, parts, dismantling, specialist tests, vehicle-history reports and transport are separate unless expressly included. SUV, luxury, hybrid and electric vehicle requirements are confirmed by model.
Range previously published in our Mercedes G500 inspection article. It is a guide, not a fixed package or a quote for every car.
A technician’s first look at a concern helps identify the next step. This does not include the full pre-purchase checklist and report above. Any detailed testing is agreed before it starts.
The inspection connects what the car does, what its systems report and what is visible on the lift. Each finding should help you decide what to investigate or budget for.
Tell us about warning lights, recent repairs, overheating, accident history or water exposure before the visit. These details help focus the inspection on the concerns behind your purchase.
Compare accessible VIN markings with the registration card and supplied records. Note inconsistencies in the stated specification, service history or mileage. Documents and external history remain subject to verification.
Check accessible leaks, fluid condition, belts, hoses, idle, unusual noises and cooling operation. A cold start is useful when the seller can arrange it. Further pressure or internal engine testing is quoted if needed.
Assess engagement, shift behavior, noises and visible leaks. Check accessible driveshafts and joints, with four-wheel-drive functions assessed where the vehicle and safe test conditions allow.
Look for visible pad and disc wear, tire damage and date markings, uneven tread, steering play, worn bushes and leaking dampers. Record what needs attention rather than relying on how the car feels at a standstill.
Look for uneven panel gaps, overspray, repairs, corrosion, underside damage and accessible signs of water entry. Visible checks cannot establish the complete accident or flood history of a vehicle.
Read faults from supported control units and assess warning lights, AC operation, windows, locks and other fitted equipment. Available data varies by model. A clear scan does not prove that the car has no faults.
Check braking, steering, vibration and engine or gearbox behavior when the car is safe and permission is available. Record any test that cannot be completed, including a cold start when the engine arrives warm.
Still comparing cars? Our pre-purchase inspection guide explains what to ask a seller and how to prepare for a viewing. Use this page when you are ready to arrange the workshop check.
Photos and clear explanations matter more than an unexplained pass mark. Ask which findings need urgent action, which need more diagnosis and which are routine maintenance.
Findings are marked OK, attention or fail, with photos and notes explaining the concern. Any inaccessible or untested item should be identified separately.
Ask for a separate repair quote when work is identified. An inspection finding is not automatically a confirmed diagnosis or a fixed repair price.
Use the findings to discuss repairs, reconsider the asking price or pause the purchase. The report supports your decision; it does not guarantee the car’s future reliability.
Example entries for a used car
Oil residue visible near the upper engine. Cleaning and further checks may be needed to identify the source.
A braking defect would need repair assessment before further road use. Record the observed defect and supporting evidence.
No relevant stored fault found in the modules successfully scanned. This does not exclude an intermittent or mechanical fault.
Engine already warm on arrival. A cold-start assessment would need a separate opportunity.
Resolve the braking concern and clarify the oil leak before agreeing to buy. Arrange the missing cold-start check.
These entries demonstrate how findings can be explained. They are not a customer report, vehicle assessment or reproduction of an actual report format.
Our published account describes a Mercedes G500 arriving for a pre-purchase inspection when coolant escaped just outside the service bay. The visit changed from a planned inspection to a cooling-system diagnosis and repair.
The buyer wanted the vehicle assessed before completing the deal.
A vehicle can need significant investigation even before the checklist begins. If a car overheats or loses coolant, stop the test and assess the fault first.
Arrange the inspection before committing to the car, with enough time to discuss the findings and any recommended follow-up.
Call or send the listing, make, model, year, mileage and seller location. Mention any known faults and whether the car is GCC specification or imported.
Agree the price, included checks and expected completion time. Arrange the seller’s permission for workshop access and a road test. Ask about pickup availability and any charge.
Bring the car to Al Quoz with its key and available records. Let us know if a cold start is possible. A safety concern or access restriction may change which tests can be completed.
Allow about one to two hours for the usual inspection. Written findings with photos are normally shared on WhatsApp the same day; extra testing or late arrival may change the handover time.
A workshop inspection helps you understand the car’s condition and possible repair needs before buying. It does not replace the official technical inspection or produce an RTA registration certificate.
Use an authorized testing center for the required official process. See RTA vehicle inspection information.
A non-invasive inspection records what can be assessed at that visit. Hidden internal wear, intermittent faults and inaccessible damage may remain undetected. A scan cannot reconstruct every cleared fault or certify the complete mileage history.
For hybrids and EVs, confirm model support and any separate high-voltage battery assessment before booking. A general scan is not a battery-capacity certificate.
We also offer initial checks for a specific concern, pre-trip checks, pre-RTA preparation and post-accident assessment. Tell us your purpose so the right checks and price can be confirmed. For an isolated warning light, see computer diagnostics. For an Audi-specific visit, see Audi inspection.
Check the cost, access and report arrangements before the seller brings the car.
Our existing published planning range is AED 400–1,100. The current quote depends on the vehicle and the checks required. Ask for the full total including any applicable VAT, the report, and any separately charged testing or collection before booking.
No free full inspection is promised here. The free initial check is a technician’s first look at a concern. A detailed pre-purchase inspection with the agreed checklist and written findings is quoted separately.
Allow about one to two hours for the usual pre-purchase inspection. Extra tests, vehicle condition or restricted access can extend the visit. Confirm the report handover time when booking, especially if the seller has given you a deadline.
The full inspection described here takes place at the Al Quoz workshop because it needs lift access and workshop checks. Ask about vehicle collection with the seller’s agreement, availability and any transport charge.
Yes. Written findings with photos are shared on WhatsApp. Ask the workshop to explain any urgent concern, recommended follow-up and any test that could not be completed. The example above is illustrative, not a report from a real customer’s car.
No. The inspection can identify accessible repair evidence, corrosion, water-entry signs and inconsistencies, but it cannot certify a complete history. Review the seller’s documents and obtain relevant vehicle-history information separately.
The official technical test and a buyer’s condition assessment serve different purposes. A pre-purchase inspection can help you assess maintenance needs and purchase concerns that matter to your decision. It does not replace the required RTA process.
Discuss whether they will permit an independent workshop visit and the necessary checks. If access is refused, important questions remain unanswered. Decide whether you are comfortable proceeding before paying or committing to the purchase.
Speak to Mechanics about the car you are considering. We will confirm the inspection price, included checks and available appointment before you arrange the visit.
Make and model · Year · Mileage
Listing link · Seller location · Known concerns
Sending an enquiry does not confirm an appointment. Wait for the workshop’s confirmation.