Vehicle and used car inspection in San Mateo
We go over the car top to bottom, send you photos of what we find, and give you a prioritized list of what needs attention now, what can wait and for how long. You end up with a clear picture of the car's condition and a plan for keeping it running right.
What we inspect
- Brakes: pad and rotor thickness, lines, fluid
- Tires: tread depth, age, uneven wear that points to alignment or suspension issues
- Suspension and steering: ball joints, tie rods, bushings, shocks and struts
- Engine: leaks, belts, hoses, mounts, and stored or pending codes
- Transmission and drivetrain: fluid condition, CV boots and axles
- Cooling and charging: coolant, radiator, battery health and alternator output
- Exhaust, lights and wipers
- Test drive: how it starts, shifts, brakes, steers and sounds
A prioritized list, not a scare sheet
Every older car has a few things on the way out. What matters is what to do first. We sort what we find into three groups: needs attention now (safety or causing damage), soon (in the next few months or the next service), and later (watch it). For each one, you'll get our honest read on how long it can go, and which items make sense to do together.
Right after buying a used car
Many online dealers offer a short return window. That window is the most valuable time to have the car inspected by someone working for you. Book early in the window, not at the end of it. What to check on a used car.
Inspections that told the real story
My daughter just bought her 1st car, an 2014 Acura-Hybrid, from SHIFT who has a 7-day full-refund return policy. Dylan & Derrick thoroughly inspected the car, and made some minor adjustments/repairs in short-order.
They were able to send me a prioritized list of items that would need attention… and which items could be done together… gave me their honest professional opinion on how long I had before needing to address the above items (my car is almost 20 years old and over 190,000 miles!), rather than pushing me to do the work immediately.
They completed a full inspection of my car and shared what they found and what I needed to replace via text with pictures… My front ball joints and front shocks looked good and did not need to be replaced per previous recommendations.
Took my truck here for a quick inspection… Was told there was nothing wrong and he tightened a few things and I was on my way.
Excerpts from verified customer reviews on Yelp.
More questions
Can you inspect a used car I'm about to buy, or just bought?
Yes. If you've already bought it and the dealer offers a return window, book the inspection well inside that window so you have time to act on what we find.
What does the inspection cover?
Brakes, tires, suspension and steering, leaks, fluids, belts and hoses, battery and charging, lights, exhaust, and a test drive. We scan for stored codes too.
Will I get a written report?
You'll get photos and a prioritized list by text, with each item marked as now, soon or later.