Motor check before buying a car?

phog

I'm looking at a 2009 Opel Astra and would like to get a detailed check on it beofre making a final decision. Who's the best and what are the charges for such a check, not even sure what they check but would love to know was it involved in an accident, is it modified and is there money outstanding on a HP.

I'm buying from an SIMI garage.

Basq

I could be wrong, but I think a SIMI-registered garage will do a check for you for free.

If not, the other options are Cartell, Motorcheck, MyWheels.. just don't take reports as "gospel".

-Corkie-

SIMI is a load of bull**** op. Its not worth the paper its wrote on. Go to www.motorcheck.ie or PM motorcheck that posts here and he will sort you in a jiffy..:)

Top Dog

Having used both the AA and Motorcheck in the past I'd highly recommend the Motorcheck full vehicle inspection @ €200. Gives a full history check and vehicle undergoes a thorough checking at an Advance Tyres center. :cool:

The AA check costs twice as much and doesn't include the history check :rolleyes:

-Corkie-

Top Dog wrote: »

Having used both the AA and Motorcheck in the past I'd highly recommend the Motorcheck full vehicle inspection @ €200. Gives a full history check and vehicle undergoes a thorough checking at an Advance Tyres center. :cool:

The AA check costs twice as much and doesn't include the history check :rolleyes:

Having said all that I remember someone here buying a car in the UK got the engineers report for 200 pounds over. I have to say I was very impressed with the detail on it.

Eoin

Top Dog wrote: »

Having used both the AA and Motorcheck in the past I'd highly recommend the Motorcheck full vehicle inspection @ €200.
...
The AA check costs twice as much and doesn't include the history check

The AA charge €400 just to inspect a car????

Top Dog

eoin wrote: »

The AA charge €400 just to inspect a car????

Yup - and then its extra on top of that if you want the history check done on it too :mad:

Eoin

That's madness, no wonder I couldn't find a price on their site.

ytareh

By all accounts the AA one is ridiculously thorough and would have most people rejecting a brand new car!

Top Dog

It is fairly thorough, I will give them that. It was thanks to their inspection that I didn't buy one particular money pit.

Its also handy that they'll collect the vehicle to get it inspected where with the Motorcheck you have to get the seller to bring it to an Advance center (though if its a genuine seller with nothing to hide there shouldn't be any problem arranging this).

But if you're looking at a few cars, and get them checked out, you're soon over the €1k mark in terms of expenditure.

By contrast, the Motorcheck is also pretty thorough, costs half as much, and includes the history check.

The cynic in me thinks that in part the AA is just trading off their name by commanding such a fee.

ytareh

Yeah its a load of rubbish and a big gamble ...spend 400 to MAYBE save 1000...however at the other end of the spectrum SOME of the small timers who advertise will actually try and get the seller to slip them a 'gratuity' (perhaps a serious 3 figure one !)on top of what the unfortunate buyer is paying them to pass the car .I saw one of these guys once spend a grand total of 40 odd seconds 'checking out' some car some poor lady had sent him to 'vet' -needless to say he didnt get the bonnet open in that time...I could tell as soon as I saw him he was a shark and YES he did get a 'gratuity ' from the seller to pass the car ...

Frank_Leach

-Corkie- wrote: »

SIMI is a load of bull**** op. Its not worth the paper its wrote on. Go to www.motorcheck.ie or PM motorcheck that posts here and he will sort you in a jiffy..:)

motorcheck is his user name?

Motorcheck

Hi Frank, you can PM me from here.

Anan1

Top Dog wrote: »

Having used both the AA and Motorcheck in the past I'd highly recommend the Motorcheck full vehicle inspection @ €200. Gives a full history check and vehicle undergoes a thorough checking at an Advance Tyres center. :cool:

The AA check costs twice as much and doesn't include the history check :rolleyes:

Last time I had a car examined it cost €80, and that was at a real garage. You would have to budget for the cost of the check separately, though.