Vehicle Inspection & Appraisal
A thorough inspection of your vehicle, suitable for prioritising running repairs,
or planning a full restoration - from £300 inc VAT
Our vehicle inspection service is the ideal way to assess your vehicle and determine a suitable plan for future maintenance, repair or committing to fully restoring your vehicle.
Our inspection service includes hundreds of photographs showing the vehicle's condition added to a private Google Photo's album, and a highly detailed multi-page PDF report with a 'red/amber/green' prioritised recommendation of works.
We always recommend all mechanical or restoration jobs start off with an inspection as it allows us to help the customer prioritise which tasks should be taken care of first, and which points can be left for another day. Check out the 'what does the inspection include' section below.
What does the inspection include?
- Exterior - Full assessment of exterior/bodywork condition, visual corrosion inspection, check for previous accident damage, lamps, glass, mirrors, trim & chrome condition, check bulkheads sealed, test all MOT functions.
- Interior - General condition, seats/seat belts and mountings, function tests of all switchgear and electrical systems, test heater and air conditioning systems function correctly, check all MOT points.
- Mechanical - Wheels/tyres (including date codes), wheel bearings, service brakes including calipers, discs and pads, pipework & hoses, inspection inside brake drums/check shoes & wheel cylinders (if applicable), all suspension & steering components, axles/differential and drive shafts.
- Electrical - All visible electrical connections, ignition system, general wiring condition including engine bay/underbody/interior/underneath dashboard and all wiring to fundamental systems, starter motor voltage drop test, full charging system test, battery condition test, battery drain test, all earth points/earth straps.
- Fuel System - Borescope camera inside fuel tank to assess for internal corrosion/debris which could cause system blockages, pump condition/operation, filters and pipework/hoses, carburettor/fuel injection system assessment.
- Engine & Drivetrain - General condition, fluid leaks, engine/transmission /mountings, timing belt/chain and drive belt condition, all air/breather pipes, turbocharger condition (if fitted), radiator fan function check.
- Oils & Fluids - Engine/transmission oil condition and level, coolant condition including freeze point, brake & clutch fluid condition & moisture content, power steering/hydraulic fluid condition/level, washer fluid level.
- Road Test - Check/set tyre pressures and wheel torques, road test vehicle to assess all driver controls, suspension and steering, engine performance including cold start, test service and parking brakes, assess wheel alignment/wheel balancing, check warning lights/gauges function correctly
We also offer add-on's to our inspection which further assess the vehicle's condition
Engine inspection
Leak down test, compression test and full borescope inspection of each cylinder - this checks for any issues with piston ring sealing, cylinder condition, valve sealing and head gasket issues causing leakage in to the cooling system. An optional oil analysis is also available to check for oil contamination from wear to main/big end bearings, etc.
Full corrosion/body assessment
An endoscope camera is used to inspect inside the vehicle's chassis rails/box sections to assess for internal corrosion within cavities, along with removal of trim/parts and panels as required to fully assess the the body condition. We also use a paint depth/thickness tester to see how much filler is in the bodywork to determine if any previous repairs have been carried out to a low standard.
Inspection Services Pricing
Full Vehicle Inspection
£300 inc VAT (fixed price)
Inspection of the entire vehicle to assess for repair or restoration.
Hundreds of photographs of the vehicle added to a private Google Photos album.
A highly detailed multi-page report of the vehicle condition - suitable for prioritising running repairs, or planning a complete restoration.
Engine Inspection
From £200 inc VAT
A full internal inspection including assessment of the pistons, cylinders and valves with our 180 degree borescope.
Leakdown and compression testing to assess cylinder leakage from the piston rings, valves and head gasket to check the engine for wear.
Engine oil analysis to assess for main and big end bearing wear is available at additional cost.
Full Corrosion/Body Assessment
From £200 inc VAT
Endoscope camera inspection and photographs of inside all enclosed box sections including the vehicle body, chassis, subframes/suspension components.
Removal of trim, bumpers, undertrays, side skirts or other panels to assess the vehicle bodywork in full.
Testing of the paint/filler depth with electronic thickness gauge to determine if any poor previous repairs have been carried out.