In this guide
A lot of the used cars people buy around here come from Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace or OfferUp, sold by someone a few streets over. The price can be good. The catch is that a private sale is about as final as it gets. Once you've paid and signed the title, there's no dealer to call and no return window.
Most buyers know an inspection is a good idea. What stops them is logistics. Asking a stranger to let you take their car to a shop for the afternoon is awkward, and most sellers say no. A mobile inspection gets around that, because the mechanic goes to the car instead of the other way around.
Why private-seller deals are different
A dealer usually has a reputation to protect and a service department behind the sale. A private seller is just a person selling their car. That doesn't mean they're hiding anything. Plenty of sellers honestly don't know the car has a problem. They've gotten used to the noise, the warning light that comes and goes, or the A/C that's “a little weak.”
What it does mean is that everything you know about the car comes from the listing, the seller, and a short test drive around the block. An independent inspection adds the part they can't give you: someone with no stake in the sale looking at the car with the right tools.
How an inspection at the seller's place works
You agree on a time with the seller, send us the address, and we meet the car there. That might be a driveway in Fremont, a condo lot in Union City, or a street spot in San Leandro, as long as it's somewhere safe and legal to work. Nobody has to borrow the car, and the seller doesn't have to hand their keys to a stranger and wait around.
You don't have to be there, either. Many buyers have us go without them, especially when the car is across town or they can't get away from work. We share the written report and photos with you directly. Most inspections take about an hour, depending on the vehicle and how much of a road test the seller allows.
What we look at
A driveway inspection is a careful look at the things that most often turn a good deal into an expensive one:
- Engine bay and fluids. Leaks, oil and coolant condition, belts and hoses, and signs of overheating or a quick patch job.
- Fault codes. We scan for stored and pending codes and check whether the car's self-tests (readiness monitors) have finished. If they haven't, the codes may have been cleared recently, which is worth asking about.
- Starting, battery and charging. How it starts cold, the battery's condition, and whether the alternator is keeping up.
- Brakes. Visible pad and rotor wear, how the pedal feels, and any pulling, grinding or pulsing on the road test.
- Suspension and steering. Clunks over bumps, leaking struts, and worn parts we can see from the wheel well.
- A/C and heat. Whether the air actually gets cold, not just whether the fan blows.
- Body and frame. Visible rust, uneven panel gaps, overspray, and other signs of past accident repair.
- A road test, when the seller allows it and conditions are safe.
There are limits, and we'd rather be upfront about them. We don't take the engine apart in a driveway, and no inspection can promise how long a used car will last. What you get is an honest read on the car's condition today, with anything we find explained in plain language. If the charging test raises questions, our battery or alternator guide explains what those results usually mean.
Red flags you can spot before we get there
- The seller won't allow an inspection. A seller with nothing to worry about usually says yes. If they refuse, or suddenly have another buyer with cash today, take that seriously.
- The engine is already warm when you show up. A warm engine can hide a hard start, a rough idle, or smoke that only shows up on a cold start.
- The check engine light is on and “it's just a sensor.” Sometimes it is. Get the code read before you take anyone's word for it. Our check engine light guide covers what to note.
- The A/C “just needs a recharge.” A system that's low on refrigerant is leaking somewhere. That can be a small fix or a big one.
- Grinding, clunking or pulling on a short drive. Brake and suspension problems are often easy to notice if you turn the radio off and listen.
- The name on the title doesn't match the seller. Ask to see the title and the seller's ID before you go any further. That's not something a mechanic can fix.
Setting it up with the seller
Most sellers are fine with an inspection if you ask the right way. Something like: “I'm interested and I can move quickly. I'd just like my mechanic to look at it first. They come to you, and it takes about an hour.”
Before you book, sort out a few things:
- Permission. The seller agrees to the inspection and, ideally, a short road test.
- The address and parking. Driveway, street, or a complex with gated parking or rules about working on cars. Tell us so we can confirm access.
- A cold engine. Ask the seller not to start the car for a few hours before we arrive.
- Someone with the keys. If you won't be there, the seller or a friend needs to meet us.
- Daylight, if you can. Leaks, rust and mismatched paint are easier to see.
When you request a visit, include the year, make, and model so we can confirm it's a vehicle we work on.
What to do with the report
No used car comes back perfect, and a list of findings isn't a reason to walk away on its own. Worn brake pads or an older battery are normal on a car with miles on it. They're also fair to bring up when you talk price.
The findings that matter most are the ones that are expensive, unsafe, or hard to explain: major leaks, signs of overheating, frame damage, or a car that doesn't match the story you were told. If the report turns up something like that, walking away is a perfectly good outcome. The inspection did its job.
If you buy the car and it needs brakes, a battery, a starter, or other work we do, we can quote it. Pricing depends on the vehicle and the job, so contact us for pricing and we'll quote it before any approved work begins.
We inspect cars across the East Bay and South Bay, from Hayward and Newark to San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale and Milpitas, plus Dublin, Pleasanton and San Ramon. Check our service area for the full list.
We are ASE-certified, BAR-licensed, and fully insured, and eligible repairs are backed by a 12-month / 12,000-mile warranty on parts and labor. Review the warranty terms for details.
For more detail, see pre-purchase inspection. You can also call or text (650) 660-6305 and tell us about the car you're looking at.
