Field Notes · Pre-Purchase
Mobile vs. dealer used car inspection: what's the difference?
If you're shopping for a used car, you'll hear two very different pitches. The dealer will tell you their "multi-point inspection" already covered it. An independent mobile technician will offer to come look at the same car for you. They are not the same thing, and the difference can be thousands of dollars.
Who is doing the inspection, and who are they working for?
A dealer inspection is performed by a technician the dealer employs. The dealer wants to sell the car. That's not a scandal, it's just the incentive structure. A mobile pre-purchase inspection is performed by an independent technician you hire. Their only job is to tell you what's actually on the vehicle.
What actually gets checked
"Multi-point" is a marketing phrase. It is not a standard. One dealer's 120-point inspection can be another's 30-point walkaround. Almost none of them include a scan for stored and pending diagnostic trouble codes, a battery load and charging system test, an underbody inspection on a lift for rust or prior collision repair, or a proper road test with live sensor data.
A real pre-purchase inspection covers all of the above and documents it with photos and notes so you have evidence, not adjectives.
Mobile vs. dealer, side by side
- Bias: the dealer is selling the car; the mobile technician is not.
- Scope: a mobile pre-purchase inspection scans live data, checks the underbody, and road-tests. Most dealer "multi-points" do not.
- Report: you receive a written report with photos you can share with the seller or your bank. Dealer inspections are usually a checkbox sheet.
- Location: we come to the dealer, the private seller, or wherever the vehicle actually is.
- Cost: a few hundred dollars up front to avoid a multi-thousand-dollar surprise a month after purchase.
When a dealer's inspection is enough
Certified pre-owned programs from the manufacturer, backed by a real factory warranty, are the strongest form of dealer inspection. Even then, it's worth a second set of eyes on cosmetic and accident history. For any non-certified used vehicle, private sale, or auction car, an independent inspection is the safer path.
How to book one
We travel to the vehicle across Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati. You get a detailed digital report the same day.