Pre-Purchase Car Inspection Brisbane | Independent Vehicle Assessment

⚠️ The uncomfortable truth

Most people have either bought a lemon — or know someone who did.

A bad car purchase can cost you $3,000 – $8,000 in unexpected repairs — sometimes much more. By the time you find out, the seller is gone, the money is spent.

1 in 60

Pre-written-off (PPSR data)

$3-8K

Typical first-year repair bill

$389

Cost of an SAB pre-purchase inspection. Maths isn't hard.

Odometer wound back by 80,000 km. Buyer would have paid $18K above market.

Cracked chassis on a late-model Navara — hidden under fresh underbody spray.

Timing chain rattle on a Captiva diesel — about to let go. $7K engine bill avoided.

🔨

Prior accident damage

Paint mismatch, replaced panels, welds, hidden chassis damage.

🌡️

Cooling system issues

Radiator leaks, head-gasket signs, contaminated coolant, water-pump weep.

⚙️

Transmission & gearbox faults

Slipping, harsh shifts, judder under load — checked on road test.

🔧

Clutch health (manuals)

Slip, judder, high biting point — confirmed on road test.

⏲️

Timing belt/chain status

Cross-checked against logbook + factory interval. Flag if overdue.

🔍

Free PPSR check included

Stolen / written-off / outstanding finance.

300+

checkpoints, every inspection.

Every system. Every panel. Every fluid.
Photographed and documented.

🚗 Exterior body & paint ▾

Bonnet — alignment, paint match, chips, dents, repair evidence
Front bumper — cracks, chips, repair, overspray
Headlight lenses — clarity, moisture, cracks, yellowing
Front windscreen — chips, cracks, wiper-arc marks
LH front guard — paint match, dents, stone chips
RH front guard — paint match, dents, stone chips
LH front door — paint, gap alignment, rubber seal
RH front door — paint, gap alignment, rubber seal
... +23 more checkpoints

🏎️ Tyres & wheels ▾

LH front tyre tread — inner / centre / outer
LH front sidewall — cracks, bulges, curb damage
LH front DOT manufacture date code
LH front brand / load & speed rating
LH front wheel — kerb damage, cracks, bent rim
LH front wheel nuts — all present, torque indicators
... +22 more (all 4 wheels + spare)

🔥 Engine bay — visual & fluids ▾

Engine oil dipstick — level, colour, consistency
Engine oil smell — fuel dilution, burnt
Coolant reservoir — level at cold
Brake fluid — level, colour, moisture content
Auto trans dipstick — level & colour
Engine block visual — oil weeps, rocker, sump
Head gasket external signs — combustion blow-by, coolant weep
Turbo (if fitted) — play check, oil leaks, actuator
... +22 more checkpoints

⚙️ Transmission, clutch & drivetrain ▾

Gear selector feel — all forward + reverse
Shift quality — smoothness under load
Auto trans kickdown response
CVT shudder on take-off (if CVT)
Clutch biting point (manual)
Clutch slip under load (manual)
LH/RH front CV boot — split, grease slinging
Driveshaft — universal joint play, carrier bearing
... +12 more checkpoints

🛑 Brakes ▾

Brake pedal feel — firm vs spongy
LH/RH front brake pad thickness
LH/RH rear brake pad / shoe thickness
LH/RH front rotor — wear lip, scoring, rust
Brake hoses — cracks, bulges (all 4)
Hard brake lines — rust, damage
Brake fluid moisture content test
... +18 more checkpoints

🛣️ Road test ▾

Cold-start behaviour — no rough idle, no smoke
Cold-start exhaust colour — white / blue / black
Acceleration from 0 — smooth power delivery
WOT / full-throttle response
Shift quality through all ratios
Cruise-control engage & hold
Steering pull left or right
Suspension noise over bumps — front & rear
... +14 more road-test items

🔎 PPSR & history check ▾

PPSR lookup run via VIN
Outstanding finance registered on vehicle
Recorded as stolen (national)
Written-off status (repairable / statutory)
Previous written-off market entries
PPSR certificate emailed to customer

⚡ EV / hybrid / PHEV specific ▾

State-of-charge at inspection noted
Displayed range vs original spec (degradation estimate)
HV warning lights none active
Charge port physical condition
HV coolant reservoir level & condition
12V aux battery health (EV/PHEV/hybrid)
Drive unit noise on road test
Regen brake calibration feel
... +6 more EV-specific checks

Accredited examiners

TMR-accredited — same qualification needed to legally sign safety certificates.

vs others: often unqualified hobbyists

10+ yrs minimum

Every inspector. No exceptions, no juniors.

vs others: 1-2 yr trainees

No subcontractors — ever

When you book SAB, an SAB employee turns up. Not a "partner", not a "local contact". That's how we keep quality tight and stand behind every inspection with our guarantee.

vs others: "national network" subbie pools

Real guarantee

90-day / 5,000 km miss-it-refund-it.

vs others: "no liability" fine print

Model-issues DB

140+ Australian-market issues cross-referenced.

vs others: generic checklist

💬 Ask before you book anyone

The questions that separate real inspectors from the rest.

If you're comparing pre-purchase inspection companies, ask them these 7 questions. The answers tell you everything.

"Do you guarantee your inspection?"

✓ SAB: 90 days / 5,000 km

"Is the inspector an employee or a subcontractor?"

✓ SAB: Employee · never subbed

"Does every inspector have 10+ years?"

✓ SAB: 10+ yrs minimum

"Is the inspector QLD-accredited?"

✓ SAB: AIS 10164

"Free PPSR check included?"

✓ SAB: Included

"EV-specific experience?"

✓ SAB: Drive Teslas daily

"Cross-reference known model issues?"

✓ SAB: 140+ DB

🛡️ 90-day / 5,000 km guarantee — covered & not covered

▾

✅ Covered:
Mechanical faults marked "Good" that were present at inspection · Safety defects we missed · PPSR-flagged issues we missed · Within 90 days or 5,000 km.

❌ Not covered:
Wear items at expected wear rates · Damage after inspection · Internal faults not detectable by visual + road test · Items we flagged in our report · Intermittent faults.

How to claim: Call 1800 896 722 with mechanic's invoice + diagnosis, photos, permission to contact the mechanic, proof raised within window. Resolved within 5 business days.

🚗 Eligible vehicles & how to prep

▾

We inspect vehicles up to 15 years old
Vehicle should be clean or recently detailed
Seat covers, baby seats, mats are not removed
Bring service history / logbook where possible
Ensure full access — boot, bonnet, doors, fuel flap

🔍 How the inspection is performed

▾

Non-destructive, external visual inspection + road test where safe
Components evaluated visually + by noise/performance
Report captures vehicle's condition at the time only
No road test if vehicle has unsafe defects
Cannot be held responsible for intermittent or hidden/concealed defects requiring dismantling

⚠️ Items we cannot assess

▾

Honesty upfront — these can't be meaningfully assessed in a non-destructive inspection:

Oil & fuel consumption rates
Source of internal oil / fluid leaks
Cylinder compression (needs dismantling)
Body water-leak testing
Internal timing belt / chain condition (behind covers)
Wheel alignment
Remaining life of clutch, flywheel
Internal HV battery cell health (EV)

For these, we recommend supplementing with a workshop-based examination at your chosen mechanic.

🔎 PPSR check (included free)

▾

Outstanding finance registered on vehicle
Stolen / recorded missing
Written-off status (repairable or statutory)

PPSR certificate emailed with the inspection report.

💳 Payment, cancellation & who pays

▾

Payment due on day of inspection — cash, EFTPOS, or pay in advance
Standard for the buyer to pay — but you're welcome to negotiate with the seller
Cancellations free up to 24 hrs before. Within 24 hrs a cancellation fee may apply
If we can't proceed due to seller access refusal or unsafe vehicle, partial charge may apply

📄 What you receive

▾

Full PDF Vehicle Condition Report — emailed within hours
Photographs of every finding
Overall grade (A–F) by severity
Known-issues cross-reference for your make/model/year
Free PPSR certificate
90-day / 5,000 km guarantee activation
Phone walk-through if you have questions

Don't buy
a lemon.

Book — $389

If we miss it,
we refund it.

Most people have either bought a lemon — or know someone who did.