Pre-Purchase Car Inspection Brisbane

We inspect used cars where they’re parked: at the seller’s home, a dealer’s yard or an auction, across Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Redland and Moreton Bay. A Standard inspection is $250, and your report, with photos, comes the same day.

What a Pre-Purchase Car Inspection in Brisbane Covers

A pre-purchase car inspection is an independent check of a used car before you pay for it. InspectCar’s Standard inspection costs $250 and covers 150 points: the engine, gearbox, brakes, steering, suspension and tyres, the body and paint, the underside for leaks and rust, and the electrics, including a battery load test and a scan for current and stored fault codes. Where possible, the inspector also takes the car on a 5 to 7 km road test. You get a digital report with 30 or more photos the same day, plus a PPSR certificate.

Premium costs $395 and covers 250+ points. It adds checks for 4WDs, utes and vans, for EVs and hybrids, and for European and luxury cars, plus full paint-depth mapping, a longer road test and a market valuation with tips for negotiating. Either way, we come to the car, across Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Redland and Moreton Bay.

We Come to the Car

Dealers, auctions and private sellers

Where We Inspect

Where We Inspect Cars in Brisbane

Wherever the car is for sale. The inspector comes to:

Buying from a licensed dealer? You get a 1 business day cooling-off period, and the Queensland Government’s guide to buying a used vehicle says you can have the car independently inspected during it without losing that right. Taking the car home ends it. If the clock is running, call 1800 372 001 to ask how soon we can get there.

The Checklist

What Our 150-Point Inspection Checks

These are the main groups in the Standard inspection. Premium covers the same ground in more depth, with extra checks for 4WDs, utes, EVs, hybrids and luxury cars.

Engine and Drivetrain

Brakes, Steering and Body

Brakes: pads, discs, callipers and fluid
Tyre tread and wear patterns
Steering and suspension: shocks, struts and bushes
Paint-depth spot checks for hidden repairs
Panel gaps, chassis and signs of past accident repairs

Electrics, Interior and Underside

Battery load test and charging system
Scan for current and stored fault codes
Air conditioning, lights, windows and controls
Underside leaks, rust and corrosion, where it can be reached
Signs of flood damage

Road Test, Where Possible

5 to 7 km on Standard and longer on Premium: how the car starts, shifts, steers and brakes

Your report sets out what the inspector found, with photos, so you can see any problems for yourself. See what’s in the report.

Our Process

How a Brisbane Car Inspection Works

From booking to report in four steps. Most inspections take 60 to 120 minutes, depending on the package and the car.

Book

Book online, or call 1800 372 001 Monday to Saturday, 8am to 6pm

We Come to the Car

The inspector meets the car at the dealer, the auction or the seller's address

Inspect

150 points on Standard or 250+ on Premium, with a road test where possible

Report

Your digital report with photos arrives the same day. Ask, and the inspector will call to talk it through

You don’t need to know about cars to use the report. It sets out what the inspector found, with photos, in plain English.

Packages

Standard or Premium: Choosing Your Inspection

Standard, at $250, suits most used cars. Premium, at $395, goes further, with checks matched to the type of car.

Choose Premium for:

4WDs, utes and vans: drivetrain, transfer case and underbody
EVs and hybrids: battery health, charging and high-voltage parts
European and luxury cars: electronics, suspension and interior features
A market valuation range and negotiation tips before you make an offer

Prefer Standard? You can add an EV or hybrid system check for $60, or a 4×4, ute or van check for $49. Compare both packages.

Same-Day

Report on both packages

Before You Buy

Checking a Brisbane Car for Flood Damage and Write-Offs

Brisbane has flooded more than once, and a car that has been through water can look fine on a yard. In Queensland, when an insurer, dealer or auctioneer assesses a car as a total loss, it’s recorded as a written-off vehicle, and water immersion and corrosion are both on the list of causes. That status is permanent.

Every InspectCar inspection includes a PPSR certificate. The Queensland Government recommends this search on the Australian Government’s Personal Property Securities Register before you buy, because it may confirm if the car has been written off, stolen or has money owing on it.

Signs of Water Damage We Check For

Silt, mud or a water line under the carpet and in the boot
Rust on seat rails, bolts and screws inside the cabin
Moisture or fogging inside headlights and tail lights
A musty smell, or new carpet in an older car
Electrical faults and warning lights

The PPSR certificate shows what’s on record. The inspection shows the condition of the car in front of you. You get both.

Safety Certificates

Is a Safety Certificate the Same as a Pre-Purchase Inspection?

No. When a registered car changes hands in Queensland, the seller must give the buyer a current safety certificate. But the safety inspection covers basic vehicle safety standards, such as tyres, brakes, steering, suspension, body rust or damage, the windscreen and lights. The Queensland Government says it is not a full mechanical inspection of a vehicle’s quality or life expectancy. And from a private seller, a valid certificate can be up to 2 months or 2,000 km old.

A pre-purchase inspection goes further. It adds:

Engine, gearbox and drivetrain condition
A scan for current and stored fault codes
A battery load test
Paint-depth checks for hidden repairs
A PPSR certificate (write-off, stolen and finance checks)
A road test, where possible, and a report with photos

The inspection doesn’t replace the seller’s safety certificate. It’s for you: it tells you what you’re buying.

Areas

Areas We Cover Around Brisbane

We cover Brisbane and the cities around it:

Most addresses can be booked online. If the booking form asks you to call for your suburb, ring 1800 372 001. We also inspect cars on the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.

Why InspectCar

What You Get With InspectCar

Plain facts about the car, from someone who isn’t selling it.

Independent: we work for you, not the seller

150 points on Standard, 250+ on Premium

A digital report with photos, the same day

Standard $250, Premium $395

Open Monday to Saturday, 8am to 6pm

A call with the inspector about the report, if you'd like one

After the Inspection

What to Do With Your Inspection Report

The report gives you facts to act on before any money changes hands. Depending on what it finds, you can:

Premium adds a market valuation range and negotiation tips, so you know what the car is worth before you make an offer.

Know Before You Buy

A clear record of the car's condition

Negotiate on facts

Ask for repairs first

Walk away if you need to

FAQ

Pre-Purchase Car Inspection Brisbane: Questions Answered

More answers on our FAQs page, in how it works, and in our guide to mobile and workshop inspections.

How much does a car inspection cost in Brisbane?

The Standard inspection is $250 and Premium is $395, and both include a PPSR certificate. On Standard you can add an EV or hybrid system check for $60, or a 4×4, ute or van check for $49. See both packages.

How long does a mobile car inspection take?

Most inspections take 60 to 120 minutes, depending on the package and the car. More on inspection times.

Can you inspect a car at a dealer, an auction or a private seller's home?

Yes. We inspect the car wherever it is: on a dealer’s yard, at an auction, or at the seller’s home or workplace.

When do I get the report?

The same day. Your digital report, with photos, comes after the inspection, and you can ask for a call with the inspector to go through it.

Can I use the report to negotiate the price?

Yes. You can use the findings to ask the seller to fix problems first or to lower the price. Premium also includes a market valuation range and negotiation tips.

Book Your Brisbane Car Inspection

Standard $250 or Premium $395, at the car’s location, with the report the same day. Book online, or call 1800 372 001 Monday to Saturday, 8am to 6pm. Sundays by appointment.