Buying a used car? Get it inspected first.
About to buy a used car? Before you pay, it pays off to have it independently inspected. A pre-purchase inspection uncovers hidden defects — rust, worn components, stored fault codes — that you can't spot with the naked eye. That can save you thousands of euros or give you real room to negotiate. AutoJet in Almere does a full check with honest advice and a report with photos — you see the price up front by license plate, from €100. Open Mon–Sat 11:00–20:00.
Why an independent pre-purchase inspection pays off
From the outside a car often looks spotless — a fresh wash and a cleaned engine bay hide a lot. An independent inspection works in your interest, not the seller's. We look for hidden defects: early rust underneath, leaks, worn brakes and suspension, and fault codes we read from the on-board computer.
One overlooked problem — say an upcoming timing-belt service or a leaking engine — quickly costs more than the inspection itself. Turns out the car is fine? Then you buy with peace of mind. Are there issues? Then you have room to negotiate or a solid reason to walk away. Either way the inspection almost always pays for itself.
What we check during the inspection
In a pre-purchase inspection we go through the car systematically — the mechanics and the things you'd miss on a short test drive:
- Mechanics & engine — coolant, oil, leaks, noises and overall condition.
- Diagnostics & fault codes — we read the on-board computer for stored faults.
- Chassis & suspension — shock absorbers, wheel bearings, steering and ball joints, play.
- Brakes — discs, pads and braking performance.
- Tyres — tread, age and wear pattern.
- Rust on load-bearing parts and underneath.
- Test drive — shifting, steering, braking and road behaviour in practice.
What we use the license plate for: pulling up the make, model and details so we check the right things and give you a price up front.
When should you get a car inspected?
The answer is simple: before you buy and pay. A pre-purchase inspection only makes sense while you can still negotiate or walk away. Got a car in mind and serious about it? Then book an appointment before you put down a deposit.
Tip: ask the seller for the service history and bring it along. The service booklet, invoices and past APK records, together with our inspection, tell the real story of the car. If the seller has nothing to show, that's a signal in itself.
What a pre-purchase inspection at AutoJet costs
A full pre-purchase inspection at AutoJet in Almere costs from €100 — including the technical check, reading fault codes, the test drive and honest advice with a report and photos. Just want the engine diagnostics / fault codes on their own? That's available for €70. We work with fixed, transparent prices that you see up front by license plate.
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Full pre-purchase inspection report with photos | from €100 |
| Engine diagnostics / fault code reading | €70 |
| Labour (any follow-up work) | €70/hr |
If the inspection finds defects and you want them repaired, you get a price for that first. You never pay for work you haven't approved in advance.
How AutoJet works: full check, honest advice, report with photos
At AutoJet in Almere you get a full, independent check and an honest verdict — no sales pitch. You receive a report with photos of what we found, so you know in black and white what you're buying and can show it to the seller if needed. Enter your license plate and we see the make, model and details and give you a clear price up front.
We speak Ukrainian, Russian and English — handy if Dutch isn't your first language. Please note: we don't do bodywork, structural rust repair or paint work. Come by and we'll assess the car honestly and tell you straight whether we'd buy it ourselves.
See also: Pre-purchase inspection in Almere · Blog
Frequently asked questions about a pre-purchase inspection
What does a pre-purchase inspection at AutoJet cost?
A full pre-purchase inspection costs from €100 and includes the technical check, reading fault codes, a test drive and honest advice with a report and photos. Just the engine diagnostics / fault code reading is available for €70. You see the price up front by license plate — no surprises.
What gets checked in a pre-purchase inspection?
We check the mechanics and engine, read fault codes from the on-board computer, check the chassis and suspension, brakes, tyres and rust on load-bearing parts, and take a test drive. That also reveals the defects you'd miss on a short test drive.
When should I get the car inspected?
Before you buy and pay. A pre-purchase inspection only makes sense while you can still negotiate or walk away from the deal. So book an appointment before you put down a deposit.
Is a pre-purchase inspection worth it?
Usually, yes. One overlooked defect — say worn components or an upcoming timing-belt service — quickly costs more than the inspection. If the car is fine you buy with peace of mind; if there are issues you have room to negotiate. So the inspection almost always pays for itself.
Do I get a report of the inspection?
Yes. You receive a report with photos of what we found, plus honest advice. So you know in black and white what you're buying and can show it to the seller if needed to negotiate on price.
Do you also inspect bodywork and rust?
We assess the car's condition fully, including rust on load-bearing parts — that goes into our advice. We don't do bodywork, structural rust repair or paint work ourselves, though; if that's needed we'll say so honestly and advise you where to go.
Got a car in mind? Get it inspected first.
Full check · report with photos · honest advice · from €100, price up front by license plate