Pre Purchase and Post Repair Inspection Example

Here's an example of what we look for on Pre-Purchase Inspections and Post-Repair Inspections.

Common salesman recommendations on used cars such as "this car is well priced" ...and "it comes with a warranty" (which are expensive and limited as to what is covered) can often persuade you to overlook other concerns of prior damage or possible neglect. In some instances, poor quality collision repairs can cause mechanical failure as well.

Then there are those owners who buy damaged or neglected vehicles, repair them, clean them up and resell at top dollar (individuals who in many instances are not qualified to perform the repairs in the first place). Afterall, to the untrained eye, what you can't see won't hurt you, or will it?

Here is a 2002 Ford Taurus SEL that was purchased from a local "Reputable Used Car Dealer" for "Top Retail Price" and, well....here's the rest of the story...

This appears to be a clean late model vehicle that was sold for top retail (top retail is defined as a clean, well maintained and collision free vehicle). We took a closer look...

When I finally freed the stuck hood latch and opened it, noted the Engine compartment was detailed nicely for a 91,000 mile vehicle.

3.0 24 Valve dohc

However, the car began to intermittently stall and "Check Engine" light came on just after the car left the dealer's lot. Engine diagnostic scan pointed to a missing engine air filter and loose air intake tube.

The loose air intake was the cause of the stalling, however what if the tube was tight? Even though the vehicle ran fine without the air filter, this definitely would cause internal engine problems in a very short time. If the cause of the engine failure was from dirt and debris freely entering the engine due to no air filter, good chance the claim would be denied by the warranty company and the customer would have to pay for repairs if the used car dealer would not repair it.

Click on the thumbnails below for a better view.

Right front fender was not in alignment and had been forced outward to the limit of its adjustment and then some.

Right front and rear doors are not fit and bounce when they are opened. Both doors had been replaced.

Right rear door misalignment

This image shows clearly where the damaged right side center outer pillar was spliced in.The amount of advanced corrosion to the worked area supports our finding that no corrosion protection of any kind was used.

After the door weather strip was removed it was obvious the upper pillar was spliced just below the upper door sill area.

Right rear lock pillar/quarter panel and lower lock pillar/rocker splice. The advanced corrosion is obvious. No rust preventive protection of any kind was used here.

Sloppy seam seal job to right rear quarter panel.

This image shows that the right rear outer wheel house (ONLY THE FRONT PORTION ABOUT 12" UP) was spliced in. And again no corrosion protection.

This image reflects bare metal weld thru to the right side inner rocker panel. Advanced corroision is present.

This vehicle is a perfect example of just plain poor quality collision repairs. You can't assume the dealer checks the cars over before they deliver them to you, so it's important you have someone knowledgable do it for you. For the amount of money paid out for this vehicle, a higher quality vehicle could have been purchased.

Post-collision inspections are done much in the same manner with an additional cost for dissasembly if needed to view the inner-structure assemblies.