Transparent pricing, what each tier includes, and the honest ROI: across 1,000+ inspections, 4 in 10 buyers renegotiate and 2 in 10 walk away from a car they were about to buy.
Here is exactly what a Sydney mobile pre-purchase inspection costs with us. No hidden fees; the price you are quoted is the price you pay.
| Level | Best for | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Inspection | Most cars | Full visual and system check, road test, and a call from the mechanic afterwards |
| Comprehensive Inspection | Higher-value cars | Everything in the Standard Inspection plus a written report with photos |
| EV, hybrid, luxury, performance | Teslas, Euro, performance | Extra time, battery health or specialist electronics checks |
Urgent and after-hours inspections can usually be arranged. Standard bookings are made further ahead across Greater Sydney.
60 to 90 minutes with the car, not a five-minute glance. The inspector works through six systems, road tests the car, and documents what they find.
An OBD-II scanner reading fault-code history, a compression tester, a paint thickness gauge, brake and tyre gauges, and a battery and charging tester. These are what separate an inspection from a look.
On the full inspection you get a written report with photos, likely repair costs, and a clear verdict you can take to the seller.
A verbal call within about 90 minutes of finishing, so you can act before the seller sells to someone else.
A workshop check means moving the car to them, which a private seller will rarely allow and a dealer controls. Mobile means the mechanic inspects the car where it sits, in the seller's driveway or the dealer's yard, so you see it in its real state and the seller has no chance to prepare it. You also do not have to drive an unknown car across Sydney. The small premium buys independence and convenience.
Standard pricing applies across Greater Sydney; inner west and eastern suburbs, Parramatta and Western Sydney, the north shore and northern beaches, and the Sutherland Shire and the south. Regional jobs on the Central Coast, in Wollongong, the Blue Mountains, or the Hunter may include a travel component depending on the exact location. We confirm the full price up front before booking, so there are no surprises.
Electric and hybrid cars take longer because battery state-of-health diagnostics are part of the job, common on Teslas, BYDs, MG4s, and Toyota and Hyundai hybrids. Luxury and performance cars carry more electronics and more expensive failure points. Both are quoted individually so you only pay for the time the car actually needs.
The point of an inspection is not the report; it is the decision it changes. Across 1,000+ NSW inspections the pattern is consistent.
Buyers take the findings and the repair quotes to the seller and get money off the price.
The inspection reveals a car that was about to become an expensive mistake.
The car checks out and the buyer proceeds with full confidence, which is also a win.
The most common catch is a $1,800 to $3,500 repair that is invisible on a quiet test drive. Against the cost of one inspection, the maths is not close.
If a quote looks unusually cheap, ask what is included. The usual cuts are: no scanner, so no fault-code history; no compression test; no paint gauge; no written report; and 15 minutes on site instead of 90. A quick visual once-over has its place, but it is not the same product and will miss the faults that cost the most.
The six systems and tools your money pays for.
See the checks ›The dollar outcomes behind the ROI numbers.
Read the cases ›Call with the suburb, make, and model.
Get in touch ›Our Standard Inspection includes a 10-minute call with the mechanic afterwards to talk through what we found. The Comprehensive Inspection adds a written report with photos. EV, hybrid, luxury and performance cars are quoted higher because they take longer.Urgent and after-hours inspections can usually be arranged.
We travel to the car, use proper diagnostic tools, and spend 60 to 90 minutes on site. A very cheap check is usually a quick visual once-over with no scanner, no compression test, and no written report.
Often more so. On a $6,000 car a single missed $2,000 repair is a third of the price. The cheaper the car, the less margin you have for a hidden fault.
Greater Sydney is covered at standard pricing. The Central Coast, Wollongong, Blue Mountains and Hunter may attract a travel component depending on location. We confirm the full price before we book.
We refer across Western Sydney and the surrounding areas. Our local mechanics come to the vehicle, wherever it is.
Our local mechanic inspects the car and keeps you informed at every step - whether you come along or leave it to them.
Turn up at the car, watch the checks first-hand and ask questions on the spot. Tell us in your request that you want to attend and the mechanic will work around you when they agree a time.
Can't be there? The mechanic carries out the full inspection for you, then calls you with the findings once they have finished. You never have to take the seller's word for it.
Tell us about the car. The make, year and the suburb it is in, plus anything you are worried about.
We alert local mechanics. Your details go to our local mechanics who cover that council.
They call you. The mechanic quotes their price and agrees a time window with you directly.
On the day. They ring the seller about 20 minutes before arriving, then inspect the car on site.
Get the results. A clear verbal summary, plus a written report if you asked for the Comprehensive Inspection.
It rarely happens - most inspections run exactly to plan. But if we can't reach your nominated contact, we don't simply leave. The mechanic makes three touchpoints across about 35 minutes: a call around 20 minutes before arrival, a call and text on arrival, and one more call after waiting 15 minutes. If there is still no answer, the mechanic rings you personally to agree the next steps - your booking is never wasted.
Most are arranged a few days ahead, inside 8am to 8pm. Need it sooner, or outside those hours? Say so in your request and we will flag it to the mechanics.
We verify ABN and licence before a local mechanic joins the network, and we only refer independents with no dealer ties.
Sedans, hatchbacks, wagons, SUVs, 4WDs, AWDs, utes, vans, people movers, coupes and convertibles. Not motorbikes or trucks.
These take longer and need extra expertise, so we match them with one of our local mechanics who knows the marque. Expect the quote to reflect that. As a guide:
Not sure which applies to your car? Put the make, model and year in your request and the mechanic will confirm everything in their quote - no surprises.
A used car is one of the biggest purchases you'll make, and the seller isn't on your side. An independent mechanic going over the car, and a plain-language walk-through of what they found, put the facts in your hands before you sign anything or hand over a deposit.
Get a quoteTell us about the car and where it is. We pass your details to our local mechanics who cover your area, and they call you to organise a time and quote their price.
