Free preview · from the dealership side of the desk
A used car can feel perfect on a test drive and still hide a leaking rear main seal, a rusty subframe or a transmission starting to slip. A pre-purchase inspection, or PPI, is an independent mechanic putting the car on a lift for about an hour before you buy. As of 2026 it typically costs $100 to $300 on a mainstream car, and on a 70,000-mile car, brakes, tires and fluids alone can easily total $1,500.
Insider truth: the “150-point inspection” sheet a dealer shows you is the store’s checklist. It decides what the dealer fixes and what it leaves alone. A PPI is your own inspection by someone who works for you. Below: how to find the right shop, what a good PPI covers, cost and logistics, what to do when a seller says no, a worked example of turning findings into money off the price, and the exact words to use when you bring the report back to the table.
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In the full guide
- Why a PPI matters even on a clean car
- Finding the right shop
- What a good PPI covers
- Cost and logistics
- When a seller says no
- Worked example: turning findings into money
- How to use the findings
- What to say
- Your game plan
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