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inspection companies in Hemmings?

Started by brett, February 13, 2007, 11:04:48 PM

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brett

Hey everyone,

does anyone have any experience with the independent inspection companies listed in Hemmings? Can anyone recommend one? I have purchased a 1991 Crown Vic in Dobson, NC and the seller claims it has a clean (no surface rust) undercarriage. Carfax confirms I dont want to fly there and look so I thought about one of these inspectors. I got burned once on a sight-unseen purchase and dont want to repeat this.

Please help!

Thanks!

Bill Gauch

No experience with them but I can say that someone is better than no one. Also, using one of those companies leaves a trail of liability.

That being said, nothing compares to having someone, who thinks like you do about a car, check it out. Alternate to that, you could always have the seller send you lots of pics. Unfortunately, undercarriage photos never come out right unless the car is on a lift and it sounds like that is primarily what you care about. I would ask everyone I knew, both personally and on the net, until I found someone who would go take a look. If I couldnt find anyone, I would ask the seller for a boatload of photos of all the important areas. Of course, it is always easier to just pay one of those companies, so its really your call.

Johnny #662

Why would anyone want to buy a 1991 Crown Vic, when they can get the luxury of a Cadillac?

Brett

good question...this is a Country Squire wagon- we need the utility and the ease of the 5.0 drivetrain.

Jim Govoni 20546

Beware! Unless you know the inspection company personally you will be upset to find out that they operate just like transport companies. I bought a 65 Corvair sight unseen in upstate NY in 2002. I hired a nationally know, Hemmings advertising inspection company. Cost advanced by me=$350.00.  Within 4 days I received an emailed copy of the 20+ page inspection report. Usually rating system 1-5, 5 a parts car. Judging from the price and the owners description I expected a 3-. Well to my surprise it came back a 2+ and some ones.

On that advice I bought the car, and arranged for a local flatbed to go from MD to NY, some 500 miles to get the car. My transport company called me in utter amazement when they got there. I had given them a copy of the report. The owner would talk to neither myself or them. The car was a 4- at best, total rust bucket, door sag so bad they opened when turning left.

All that said, I found out the inspection company just calls a local mechanic and lets them look the car over. The guy called was related to the owner. The only compensation was a refund of the fee paid. Total losses on an undrivable car, $4200.00. So beware!  Jim

Jerry

Brett,

If you hire a local appraiser to inspect the car, request him to take 75-100 large, close detail digital photos of all areas of the vehicle.  Have him put the pics on a cd and send them to you.  

Using a flash you can get some fairly decent undercarriage photos and with that many views it should give a decent representation of the vehicle condition.  

In general smaller photos can hide a lot and make even a turd car look good.  But if the pics are larger size you can zoom in and see pretty good detail.  



Rob

I used http://www.automobileinspections.com/ TARGET=_blank>http://www.automobileinspections.com/ 3 times in 2005/06.
The reports and photos taken ranged from ok to excellent. Based on those I did not buy any of the cars.
the quality of the reports and photos varied with each person/location in the US but they also gave me some idea on what type of seller it is, when I compared what he said and what the report says, and yes, the flash of a digital camera should reveal the rust spots. Rust tends to radiate light reflections.

Cost me about $400 each time.
Rob
47@bigcadillac.com

Jeff Burland #12555

I worked for http://www.buyerservicesinternational.com TARGET=_blank>www.BuyerServicesInternational.com , the parent company of AutomobileInspections.com for about 3 yrs. Not sure if they advertise in Hemmings or not, but at the time Hemmings had just been bought out and they tripled their insertion rates with no value added.
Anyway, While they may not be the least expensive, they can usually get to the car and have the report back to you before most others. They do weed out the inspectors who dont cut it and really do their best to get you what you need. Covering the US and Canada with over 400 inspectors the checklist provided is pretty thorough. Granted, while any report is not meant to be the last word on any vehicle, it does save the time and expense of flying out to see something which might be junk. You may want to get a report somewhere after getting pics and a phone conversation with the owner. They write up a purchase agreement with the stipulation you see the car in person, if need be. If its all that, youre good to go. If they sign and its faxed back to you, you safe. I worked locating vehicles, negociating, writing up purchase agreements and arranging transport and overseas shipping if need be. Feel free to email me directly if youd like and best of luck. Jeff in CT WillingtonCad@earthlink.net

Brett

I couldnt help but try the cheap $100 Carfax inspection. I was buying a $2500 low mile (50K) 1991 Country Squire Wagon.  Well I really didnt care if the engine or transmission went out because I can address that (relatively) easy. But the one thing I absolutely positively required was a rust free undercarriage and no frame damage.  I directed the inpector via carfax (you cant speak directly with him) and carfax did relay the message...to check for rust and prior damage and he did...both came back unfavorable and I passed on the car. Best $100 I ever spent. (Best $80 I ever spent was a Porsche inspection which revealed an engine case hole patched with JB weld type stuff! Best $200 I ever spent is probably not suitable for this forum LOL)

If anyone would like to see the report email me and I can forward it to you.

....I ended up with a 1996 Roadmaster Wagon. 42K miles, salvage title but no rust or damage. It was salvaged because of a light hit on the drivers side front fender/door. Easy non-structural fix....I got the car for a deal relative to the miles and condition....and now I dont have to feel guilty of stripping off the wood and doing a color change :)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=005&sspagename=STRK3AMEWA3AIT&viewitem=&item=150093879367&rd=1,1 TARGET=_blank>http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=005&sspagename=STRK3AMEWA3AIT&viewitem=&item=

On a different note, my 71 FWB is FINALLY going to the paint shop this week. Vinyl roof is off, and all the trim holes are filled. It is (soon to be was) Pewter but it will soon be Range Rover Giverny Green.

Bruce Reynolds # 18992

Gday Brett,

So that is the car you purchased?

Looks like a nice car, and should give you heaps of trouble-free miles.

But, where is the damage?   The pictures show a pretty good car.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV

Brett

That is the car. The seller, Fred, is sort of a guru with these cars. He has many parts cars and he fixed it up to an acceptable/passable standard. He replaced the fender, door, door panel, spindle, and a control arm.

He says there is still some damage to the A-pillar, and he shimmed it to make the door open and close properly. He also says the door panel is a slightly different tan because the panel he used was from a 94 and the colors were slightly different. I wont dye it because I hate dye! It always seems to wear off even when done by the best.

Good news is my friend has a body shop about 300 miles (and a $250 flatbed) away from the seller, and my friend can deliver the car after the bodywork to a DAS (US shipping company) terminal after it is completed for a direct ship out to me in California.

I plan on fixing the A-pillar properly, removing all the woodgrain, Impala SS rims and an all glass/no orange peel non-metallic solid black color change. I will probably re-do the interior in Mercedes MB-Tex vinyl (not terribly expensive and wears like iron) and a drop in (less than $200) molded carpet. The seller has already purchased back from me the woodgrain surrounds and the rims/tires that were on the car.

I also have a complete suspension on order for the car too...I cant wait!

I can get the best of both worlds, a low mileage car and no guilt about building it to my taste because of the salvage title.

Bruce Reynolds # 18992

Congratulations on the buy.

But, I would be very careful inspecting the damage to the A Pillar.   Saying the Seller just shimmed to fit the panel, sounds a bit suspicious to me.

That is a structual member and I hope the seller didnt just do a bodgie-up job to get the panels to fit.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV

Brett

I am suspicious too. He says that there was some welding but it wasnt pulled all the way out. To properly repair, I am told the fender will have to come off, the weld broken, and the metal pulled back, etc. It really doesnt frighten me all that much...I know my friend can fix it. He has fixed many bad wrecks before of all sorts of frame and unibody damage....we shall see!