How much does a used car inspection cost?
A pre-purchase inspection has two separate costs: paying someone to inspect the car, and getting the findings in a form you can read and act on. Autoquiry splits those apart. Reports on cars we have already inspected start at $14.99, and requesting a new inspection on a specific car is quoted per job.
Autoquiry report pricing
One-time charge per vehicle. No subscription. All purchases are final and non-refundable.
Instant VIN Check
$1.99No inspection needed — data lookup returned in seconds.
- • Factory build data and specifications
- • Open safety recalls
- • Stolen, salvage and flood-damage records
- • 180 days of access
Basic Report
$14.99The headline condition of an inspected car.
- • Overall condition score
- • Vehicle identity and mileage
- • Key condition highlights and summary findings
- • Selected exterior and interior photos
- • 180 days of access
Full Report
$49.99Everything the inspector recorded, with nothing withheld.
- • Everything in the Basic report
- • Every checklist answer with severity rating
- • Inspector notes on each finding
- • Complete photo evidence set
- • Mechanical, structural, interior and electrical detail
- • 180 days of access
Why the price varies elsewhere
Independent shops price a pre-purchase inspection by how long the car occupies a lift and a technician. A quick visual check is cheaper than a full mechanical inspection with a road test and a diagnostic scan, and mobile inspectors who travel to the seller charge for that travel. Rates also differ by metro area and by vehicle: an exotic, a diesel truck, or an EV takes longer than a five-year-old sedan.
What that price usually does not include is a durable, shareable report. Many inspections end in a phone call and a one-page form. Autoquiry keeps the full record — every rating, note and photograph — in your account for 180 days so you can re-read it, send it to your own mechanic, or use it in a negotiation.
Is it worth it?
Set the cost against what it protects. A single missed finding — structural repair, a failing transmission, four tires and a brake job — costs far more than the inspection. Even on a clean car, photographed findings give you something concrete to negotiate with.