What to bring to a used car inspection
Rust, accident repair and a tired engine all leave evidence that a walkaround in a parking lot will not show you. This is the bag that finds them.
Find the rust and the bodywork
Paint thickness gauge
Factory paint reads in a consistent band. A panel reading two or three times the rest has been refinished, which means it was damaged.
Refrigerator magnet, no case
The cheapest filler detector there is. It will not stick over body filler or a fiberglass repair.
Small telescoping mirror and a bright light
Frame rails, floor pan seams, inner rockers, and the top of the fuel tank. Rust starts where you cannot see.
Awl or small screwdriver
Probing suspect frame rails and floor pans. Sound metal stops it, cancerous metal does not.
Read the electronics
OBD-II scanner with readiness monitors
A cleared-code car shows no faults but incomplete readiness monitors. That pattern means codes were wiped shortly before you arrived.
Battery and charging system tester
Separates a dying battery from a dying alternator, a $200 difference in the first week of ownership.
Test the mechanicals
Compression tester
Uneven compression across cylinders is the difference between a tune-up and an engine.
Coolant system pressure tester
Finds the head gasket and heater core leaks that only appear warm and under pressure.
Infrared thermometer
Uneven brake rotor or caliper temperatures after a drive, and a quick read on whether the thermostat is working.
Tread depth gauge
Uneven inner-edge wear is alignment or a bent suspension component, which is accident evidence the seller did not mention.
Get under it safely
Low-profile creeper or a folding mat
You cannot inspect a floor pan you never got under.
Mechanic's gloves
Borrow before you buy. A moisture meter and a borescope are the two expensive items here, and both are worth renting or borrowing for one inspection. If you are looking at three or four candidates, buy them: they will pay for themselves on the first finding.
The pre-purchase inspection kit for your vehicle
Having the tools is half of it. The kit tells you where to point them on your exact model, what each finding costs to put right, and which ones should end the deal.
See the inspection kits