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Pre-purchase inspection

The actual 150 points. Numbered. Count them yourself.

Every inspection ad in the country says "150-point" and almost none of them publish the 150. That number should either be a list you can read or it shouldn't be on the page. So here's the list, the same one that produced the published sample report, where 142 came back OK, 3 became negotiation numbers and 5 went in the file as monitor items. 142 + 3 + 5 = 150. That's the whole trick: there is no trick.

Price is $120–$250 flat, published on the cost page and pulled from the same rate card everyone can read. No parts, no add-ons, no hourly meter.

150points, listed below
14systems
~1 hrat the car
$120–$250flat, in writing first

Identity & paperwork 8 points · 1–8

This is where curbsiders and re-VIN'd cars fall apart. It costs five minutes and it's the fastest fraud check in the deal.

  1. 1VIN on the dash plate read and recorded
  2. 2Door-jamb VIN sticker matched to the dash plate
  3. 3Under-hood / firewall VIN stamp matched to both
  4. 4Name on the ownership matched to the person actually selling it
  5. 5Odometer reading against pedal, wheel, seat and shifter wear
  6. 6Open-recall lookup on the VIN
  7. 7Factory build / production label present and unaltered
  8. 8Service records and UVIP asked for, read if they exist

Scan tool, codes & electronics 12 points · 9–20

Point 12 is the one nobody tells buyers about. Clearing a check-engine light wipes the codes but resets the readiness monitors to "not ready", so an empty code list with incomplete monitors means someone erased the evidence right before you showed up.

  1. 9Stored trouble codes, every module the tool can reach
  2. 10Pending codes, the ones a cleared light leaves behind
  3. 11Permanent codes (can't be cleared by hand)
  4. 12OBD-II readiness monitors: complete vs not-ready
  5. 13Freeze-frame data on any stored code
  6. 14Fuel trims at idle, short-term and long-term
  7. 15Coolant temp, intake temp, MAF/MAP plausibility
  8. 16Misfire counters, per cylinder
  9. 17Battery voltage at rest and while cranking
  10. 18Airbag / SRS lamp and module status
  11. 19ABS, traction and stability lamps and module status
  12. 20TPMS status and stored sensor faults

Engine, running condition & under-hood 18 points · 21–38

Point 21 is why I ask the seller not to warm the car up before I get there. A pre-warmed engine hides rough cold starts, chain rattle and startup smoke, the three things you most want to see.

  1. 21Cold start witnessed (seller asked not to pre-warm it)
  2. 22Cranking behaviour and time to fire
  3. 23Idle quality cold, then again warm
  4. 24Top-end noise: lifter tick, injector knock, cam noise
  5. 25Bottom-end knock or rod noise under light load
  6. 26Timing chain or belt rattle on start-up
  7. 27Turbo whine, shaft-play noise, boost leak hiss (if turbo)
  8. 28Crankcase pressure / blow-by at the oil-fill cap
  9. 29Exhaust smoke colour on start-up and on decel
  10. 30Oil leaks at the valve / cam cover
  11. 31Oil leaks at the oil pan and rear main area
  12. 32Oil leaks at the filter housing / oil cooler
  13. 33Oil-residue pattern on the underside and the belt
  14. 34Engine and transmission mounts for collapse or separation
  15. 35Air filter condition and a properly sealed housing
  16. 36Vacuum lines and intake boots for cracks and disconnects
  17. 37Wiring harness condition, rodent damage, taped repairs
  18. 38Freshly shampooed engine bay hiding an active leak

Fluids 10 points · 39–48

Level tells you almost nothing. Condition tells you how the car was actually treated, and whether the maintenance story you were told is true.

  1. 39Engine oil level
  2. 40Engine oil colour, smell and fuel dilution
  3. 41Metal glitter or sludge on the dipstick and filler cap
  4. 42Coolant level and colour against spec
  5. 43Coolant checked for oil sheen or contamination
  6. 44Transmission fluid level, where it's checkable
  7. 45Transmission fluid colour and burnt smell
  8. 46Brake fluid level and moisture condition
  9. 47Power steering fluid level and condition, where fitted
  10. 48Differential / transfer case fluid, where accessible

Cooling system 10 points · 49–58

Cooling parts are plastic on most modern engines and they crack on a schedule. This section is where a cheap car turns expensive.

  1. 49Radiator core, bent fins, stone damage, weeping seams
  2. 50Radiator and heater hoses, soft, swollen, seeping
  3. 51Water pump for weep, shaft play and noise
  4. 52Thermostat behaviour through warm-up
  5. 53Reservoir, cap and seal condition
  6. 54Cooling fan operation, both speeds where fitted
  7. 55Cold pressure test of the system for leaks
  8. 56Head-gasket indicators, bubbling, sweet smell, cap pressure
  9. 57Cabin heat output once up to temperature
  10. 58Auxiliary electric pumps and coolant valves, where fitted

Belts, charging & accessories 8 points · 59–66

Cheap now, stranded later. A cracked serpentine belt and a tired battery are the two most common "why didn't anyone tell me" items on a used car.

  1. 59Serpentine belt rib cracking and glazing
  2. 60Belt tensioner and idler pulleys, noise and play
  3. 61Alternator output at idle and under load
  4. 62Alternator bearing noise
  5. 63Starter engagement and current draw
  6. 64AC compressor engagement and clutch noise
  7. 65AC vent temperature measured at the centre duct
  8. 66Power steering pump noise and accessory pulley play

Transmission & driveline 10 points · 67–76

Most of this only shows up warm, on the road, under load. It's the reason a PPI includes a real drive and not a lap of the block.

  1. 67Engagement into drive and reverse, delay, clunk, flare
  2. 68Upshift quality through every gear on the road test
  3. 69Downshift and kickdown behaviour
  4. 70Converter lockup, or CVT shudder at steady throttle
  5. 71Clutch engagement point and slip, if it's a manual
  6. 72Shifter feel and synchro behaviour, if it's a manual
  7. 73Driveshaft, U-joints and centre bearing on RWD/AWD
  8. 74CV boots for tears and thrown grease
  9. 75CV joint clicking on full lock, both directions
  10. 76AWD / transfer case engagement where it can be tested

Brakes 12 points · 77–88

Measured in millimetres, per corner, written down. "Brakes look good" is an opinion. "3 mm on both rears" is a number, and sellers move on numbers.

  1. 77Left front pad thickness, measured in millimetres
  2. 78Right front pad thickness, measured in millimetres
  3. 79Left rear pad thickness, measured in millimetres
  4. 80Right rear pad thickness, measured in millimetres
  5. 81Front rotor surface, lipping and scoring
  6. 82Rear rotor surface, lipping and scoring
  7. 83Rotor thickness against minimum spec, where measurable
  8. 84Caliper movement, sticking pistons, torn slide boots
  9. 85Brake hoses and hard lines for corrosion and swelling
  10. 86Parking brake holding the car on an incline
  11. 87Pedal feel, travel, and fade after repeated hard stops
  12. 88ABS behaviour under a hard stop on the road test

Suspension & steering 14 points · 89–102

Fourteen points because this is where GTA roads do their damage, and because a full front-end refresh is the difference between a fair price and a bad one.

  1. 89Front struts / shocks, leakage and bushing condition
  2. 90Rear struts / shocks, leakage and bushing condition
  3. 91Bounce test at each corner for damper control
  4. 92Upper and lower ball joints for play
  5. 93Front control-arm bushings
  6. 94Rear control-arm / trailing-arm bushings
  7. 95Sway-bar links and bushings
  8. 96Inner tie rods for play
  9. 97Outer tie rods for play
  10. 98Steering rack for leaks and knock over the test bumps
  11. 99Wheel bearings, noise and play, all four corners
  12. 100Ride height side to side: sagging spring or air strut
  13. 101Coil springs for breakage and heavy corrosion
  14. 102Subframe and suspension mounting points for cracks or shifting

Tires & wheels 10 points · 103–112

Tread depth per corner with a gauge, plus the DOT date codes, because a tire with 7 mm and a 2016 date code is still a tire you have to replace.

  1. 103Left front tread depth, measured
  2. 104Right front tread depth, measured
  3. 105Left rear tread depth, measured
  4. 106Right rear tread depth, measured
  5. 107Wear pattern per tire, camber, toe, cupping
  6. 108DOT date codes and actual tire age
  7. 109Brand, model and size matched across each axle
  8. 110Sidewall damage, bulges, plugs and patch repairs
  9. 111Wheel condition, bends, cracks, curb damage
  10. 112Spare, jack and tools present and actually usable

Undercarriage, frame & Ontario rust 12 points · 113–124

This is the section that matters most on a car that's lived through salted GTA winters, and the one a test drive tells you nothing about. Point 122 is a flag on its own: honest rustproofing goes on clean metal, panic undercoating goes on over rot right before the sale.

  1. 113Frame rails straight, no kinks, no crush-zone wrinkles
  2. 114Crash-repair welds, replaced sections, non-factory seam sealer
  3. 115Subframe corrosion, scaling and perforation
  4. 116Rocker panels and pinch welds
  5. 117Floor pans and seat mounting points
  6. 118Wheel arches and rear quarter bottoms
  7. 119Brake and fuel lines for flaking and pitting
  8. 120Fuel tank and tank straps
  9. 121Exhaust hangers and heat shields
  10. 122Fresh undercoating sprayed over rot
  11. 123Skid plates, splash shields, missing fasteners
  12. 124Flood signs, silt lines, rusted seat rails, musty carpet backing

Exhaust & emissions 6 points · 125–130

A missing catalytic converter or a deleted emissions system is both a money problem and a legal one. It gets checked and it gets written down.

  1. 125Exhaust leaks from the manifold back
  2. 126Catalytic converter present and intact, not a straight pipe
  3. 127Downstream O2 / catalyst efficiency readings from the scan
  4. 128DPF and EGR status on a diesel
  5. 129Emissions equipment present and unmodified
  6. 130Cold exhaust note for a cracked-manifold tick

Body, glass & paint 10 points · 131–140

"Clean title" and "no accidents" are claims. Panel gaps, overspray and mismatched glass date codes are evidence.

  1. 131Panel gaps and door / hood / trunk alignment
  2. 132Paint colour and finish matched panel to panel
  3. 133Overspray on trim, rubber and under the hood lip
  4. 134Body filler indicators and repaint texture
  5. 135Windshield chips, cracks and prior replacement
  6. 136Side and rear glass, brand and date codes matched
  7. 137Hinge wear and latch operation on every opening
  8. 138Weatherstrip condition and water-leak evidence
  9. 139Mirrors, wipers and washers working
  10. 140All exterior lighting: heads, tails, brakes, signals, reverse, plate

Interior, HVAC & safety equipment 10 points · 141–150

Point 149 catches a bill nobody budgets for: a car with one key, on a make where a second key means dealer programming.

  1. 141Airbag covers present, no deployed-and-refilled evidence
  2. 142Seat belts extend, retract and lock; webbing uncut
  3. 143Seat frames, tracks and adjusters
  4. 144Blower on every speed, mode and temperature doors moving
  5. 145AC cold, heat hot, defrost working
  6. 146Infotainment, backup camera and driver-assist cameras
  7. 147Windows, locks, mirrors, sunroof operation and sunroof drains
  8. 148Warning lamps that stay lit after the bulb check
  9. 149Keys, how many, and whether a spare is programmable
  10. 150Interior wear against claimed mileage; smoke, pets, carpet under the mats
Where the road test fits. Points 22, 23, 29, 67–72, 76, 87, 88, 98, 99 and 130 can only be honestly answered with the car moving, warm and under load, so the drive isn't a formality, it's where a third of the list gets verified. I ask for a mix of city speed, a highway merge and a stretch of bad pavement.
What this is not. It is not an Ontario Safety Standards Certificate and it is not a warranty. A safety certificate speaks to minimum safety requirements on the day it was issued; this is a condition report written for the buyer, by someone working for the buyer. Findings turn into negotiation numbers using the published GTA ranges, never a made-up figure.
And what happens after the 150. Whatever this list turns up, you get it priced from the published rate card so it becomes a negotiation number, and if you buy the car and have Fares do the work, the inspection fee comes off the repair (the exact fee, off one repair of $400 or more on that car, booked within 30 days). Work he turns down, timing chains and belts, clutches, head gaskets, internal engine, gets named honestly instead of quoted.

Next: read the full sample report to see how these 150 points come back written down · check the honest cost breakdown · paste a listing into the listing check before you even book · or forward the seller the page written for them.

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