Pre-purchase car inspection — Poznan and Swarzedz

Basic at 300 zł filters out the obvious disasters: documents, paint measurement, body inspection, engine bay, tyres and a computer scan — with no lift and no test drive. Standard at 450 zł adds what you cannot see from above: the lift, underbody, corrosion, leaks, brakes, suspension, gearbox and a test drive — and it is the sensible default. Premium at 650 zł adds a photo report, an indicative repair estimate and a discussion of negotiating arguments, which is the part that most often pays for itself in the purchase price. There are also variants for hybrids, ex-taxi cars, nearly new cars and cheap runabouts — the full list is in the price list below. SUVs and 4x4s, vans and luxury or sports cars carry a surcharge from the price list — we mention it when you book, not when you collect the car.

Basic takes roughly one to one and a half hours, Standard one and a half to two and a half hours, Premium two and a half to four hours. Booking ahead is essential: we have to reserve a lift bay and the diagnostic tester, and you have to line the slot up with the seller. Call 500 272 005 and we will agree a time and tell you what to bring. A same-day inspection is possible for a surcharge if a bay is free.

Yes. A callout to the car within 20 km of the workshop is 200 zł; beyond that we charge a per-kilometre rate with a minimum fee — the exact terms are in the price list below. But let us be straight with you: the most thorough inspection is only possible in the workshop. At the seller's there is no lift, so a proper assessment of the underbody, corrosion and leaks is off the table, and we note the limited scope in the summary.

It depends on the package. Basic ends with a verbal summary of the car's condition and the biggest risks. Standard ends with a list of the faults found plus a summary of the mechanical, bodywork and electronic condition. Premium gives you a written summary, photos of the faults, an indicative repair estimate and an opinion on whether the purchase makes economic sense. The photo report and the estimate can also be bought separately alongside a cheaper package. The estimate is indicative — figures can change once parts are removed and prices and availability are confirmed. The report and photos go only to the person who commissioned the inspection.

No, and nobody honest will promise that. An inspection may not reveal hidden defects, intermittent faults or damage inside an assembly — the standard packages do not include stripping down the engine, gearbox, battery or trim. We check everything that can be assessed without disassembly, on the lift and with the tester, and we record every warning sign. If we conclude along the way that additional disassembly or extended diagnostics is needed, we ask the owner's permission and your approval of the cost before we do anything.

No. Our summary is a workshop opinion, not an automotive appraiser's report, a court expertise or a market valuation. For court proceedings, an insurance dispute or a valuation you need a certified appraiser — that is a different service and a different document. Our report has a different purpose: to show the technical condition before you buy, and to give you concrete arguments in the conversation with the seller.

We compare the data on the car with the data in the documents presented — but we do not confirm the authenticity of documents or the seller's title to the vehicle. History and mileage we read from the VIN report, which you buy and bring: we analyse it (that is part of the Premium package) and the cost of buying the report itself is charged separately. Report data can be incomplete, so the absence of a recorded claim does not mean the car was never in a collision. That is why we assess the body by measuring the paint and inspecting it, not by the report alone.

We record that in the summary as a limitation of the inspection — and that fact is itself information for you. We only test drive with the owner's consent, with a valid roadworthiness certificate, valid third-party insurance and a car in a state fit to drive safely; we can refuse if the car is unroadworthy, has no plates or poses a risk. If the seller cuts the inspection short or refuses further access, we only bill the work carried out up to that point.

Yes. The fee is due regardless of the outcome of the inspection and regardless of whether you decide to buy — you are paying for time, equipment and knowledge, not for a positive verdict. It is worth flipping that round: an inspection that talks you out of a purchase is the cheapest one you will ever buy. The final decision on the purchase and the price is always yours; we supply facts, we do not push you either way.

Yes — there is a dedicated package with extended hybrid diagnostics: block voltages, the differences between them, temperatures, the inverter and battery cooling, including during the test drive. One caveat matters: a computer assessment of a hybrid battery does not replace a capacity test of the individual modules once the battery has been removed. We see irregularities and differences between blocks, but that is not a way to measure real capacity. There is more about what can be checked on a hybrid on our hybrid service page.