• Next to the family home the purchase of a motor vehicle represents a major financial and personal commitment. 

  A professional inspection of your intended purchase will allow you to make an informed decision based on all the factual information gathered and recorded by the inspector during the examination of the vehicle. Our reports do not use jargon and are in an ‘easy to read’ format. 

  Remember it’s ‘what you don’t know’, that could cost you thousands of dollars for repairs in mechanical defects, or worse be caught with a car that is an insurance ‘repairable write off’, that has been purchased at a wreck auction, badly repaired and then cleverly disguised and covered over for an intending purchaser. 

  BEWARE: REVS will not inform you if the vehicle has been ‘written off’ in another State or Territory of Australia – REVS is not a national register. 

  A Sydney Vehicle Check (SVC) inspection will provide an accurate, independent and unbiased factual report based on the true condition of your intended purchase, allowing you to make an informed decision to either purchase, or negotiate a better sale price based on what mechanical, rust or panel repairs are required. 

  A car may look impressive and clean, but in reality 50% of vehicles we inspect are ‘repairable write offs’ that have been poorly repaired and offered to unsuspecting buyers. It doesn’t matter whether it is a private sale or from a used car sales yard, an SVC inspection will dispel any untruths or concealed problems that are lurking beneath shiny new repainted panels, saving you money, misery and stress. 

  The inspection fee more than pays for itself in bargaining a better purchase price. Our reports cover a minimum of 350+ points and are eight to ten pages in length.

Why should I use Sydney Vehicle Check?

• Sydney Vehicle Check was established in 1988 by former inspectors and investigators of the Department of Motor Transport as an alternative to the NRMA. 

  SVC inspectors hold vehicle painter, panel beater and mechanical tradesman’s licenses as issued by the Office of Fair Trading. Our licence numbers are on each and every inspection report issued.

  Sydney vehicle Check is the only inspection company to be members of the IAME (Institute of Automotive Mechanical Engineers) Service Management Group and we are also members of the Motor Traders Association (MTA). 

  All our inspectors have a minimum of 30 years expertise in the field of vehicle forensic inspections, vehicle examinations, fault finding, panel & all accident repairs. 

  Further, SVC does not offer referrals or any type of approval to used car dealers, mechanical repairers or panel repair workshops. We provide thorough, unbiased and independent professional inspections only. 

  No car dealer affiliations. 

  70% of our customers are recommended to us by ‘word of mouth’. 

  What makes us different is the amount of detail provided through our 8 - 10 page inspection report. More than just ticks and crosses – we provide a thorough investigation of the motor vehicle. We will even tell you the tyre brand, tyre size and even if the windscreen has been changed and what brand of windscreen it is! Extensive commentary and repairs sections leaves you in no doubt as to the true condition of the vehicle.

Legal or litigation Inspection Report: 

• Over the years we have assisted many consumers negotiate their way through the legal system trying to attain justice who have been caught with a lemon. 
  
  We can assist by providing advice as to how the Consumer Trader & Tenancy Tribunal (CTTT) operates and what to expect at your CTTT hearing. What we know simply cannot be learnt through any book or government brochure. 
  
  Evidence in any case of this nature is vital, and we can advise what evidence you may need to substantiate any claim as well as providing detailed, technical digital images that can be used as evidence accompanying an inspection report of the vehicles’ factual condition. 
  
  We can also provide advice to your legal counsel. In short we can unravel the system and set you on the right path. 
  
  If you have been caught with a lemon we may be able to help.

What does a Sydney Vehicle Check consist of?

• A complete mechanical, body and structural condition inspection, road test, (we are insured), written report and vehicle value guide (upon request, for privately sold vehicles up to ten years old in average & above average condition).
  
  All body panels are examined & measured by a paint thickness gauge detection system guaranteed to detect any panel repairs, be it of a minor cosmetic nature or a major structural defect or fault.
  
  For an average family sedan, the inspection will take approximately 1.5 hours to complete. Other vehicles, such as four-wheel drives, can take up to two hours to fully examine, particularly older models. A four-wheel drive requires that all four wheels be raised from the roadway (where practical & safe to do so) to check all 4x4-locking attributes, high & low ranges, the operation of the jackshafts and wheel hubs.

Can you tell me exactly what you inspect?

• We check the entire engine bay & electrical systems and test the engine & identify any oil leaks, excessive fuming, noises, erratic idling, poor performance, excessive crankcase pressure, exhaust smoke and fumes. We also pressure test the cooling system for any external & internal leaks, such as head and head gasket perforations, coolant condition & contamination. A combustion block leakage test (CO3) is also conducted. Ignition coil packs and spark plug leads are checked for cracking or deterioration.
  
  All fittings such as engine mount & retaining bolts, etc are also checked. In other words, any component or system that can be physically examined will be checked and commented on.
  
  As part of our service we inspect the engine and chassis / VIN identifiers and will inform you if they are in fact original factory stamping or encryption, have been altered or tampered with, or have been replaced with substitute identifiers from a wreck, (i.e.: re-birthing).

  All interior components, seats, seat belts, dash warning and advisory lamps, AM/FM radio, A/C & heater operation, electrical systems, door locks, hinges and barrel operation, remote key transponders, spare tyre condition, availability of jack and tools, etc. This is just a sample, as the SVC inspector does not restrict the inspection in any way, as each car can be unique.

  The compliance plate & vehicle manufacture date are also checked for originality and are checked against the certificate of registration, or registration label if available.

  Service logs and vehicle history are also assessed (if available). We will advise you in the report if the service booklet is not original issue or if it is in fact forged.

  The front & rear of the vehicle are fully raised (using a full size garage trolley jack) and all under body components are fully checked and assessed, including, the steering components and mountings, brakes, brake pad wear, (if visible without removing wheels), suspension components and mountings, with particular attention to past panel repairs, and any repaired or unrepaired structural damage, rust and panel rewelding.

  All body panels are thoroughly checked and assessed by use of paint & panel thickness gauges, which is guaranteed to identify any and all previous panel repairs, whether it be of a minor nature, cosmetic repainting or if the structure of the vehicle is defective. Even if the windscreen has been changed, we will tell you!

  As forensic specialists we can also inform you of the vehicle has also been subject to water or flood immersion. We will also be able to advise you if the odometer reading is a true reflection of the vehicle’s condition.

  The vehicle is then road tested (we are insured) and all aspects of vehicle performance are assessed, including, transmission noise, auto transmission flaring, drive train noise or whine, wheel bearing noise, suspension dampening & braking performance.

How long do I have to wait until Sydney Vehicle Check can inspect my vehicle?

• Depending on availability, Sydney Vehicle Check can usually arrange to have one of our expert inspectors on site the same or next day at an arranged appointment time to suit the vendor and the buyer.

What type of inspections do you perform?

• New Car Inspection – This type of inspection has increased in frequency over the years and identifies if the “new” vehicle has been subject to any transit damage panel repairs, prior to initial registration. Any dents or paint imperfections are also highlighted in the inspection report and in most cases this allows for the re-negotiation of the initial sale price.

  Please note that some dealer premises are unsuitable for a full & proper SVC inspection.

  Pre-purchase - Have peace of mind prior to handing over your money by knowing the true and factual condition of your intended purchase.

  On average, Sydney Vehicle Check identifies an average repair cost of approximately $800 to $900- for mechanical & service repairs for each vehicle inspected. The cost of an SVC inspection report more than pays for itself. We will attend the sellers’ premises at an assigned time for vendor and buyer convenience, and inspect the vehicle.

  At all times our customers’ confidentiality is maintained and when the report is completed you may ring the inspector directly and obtain the report details in full. This allows for our customers to make an informed decision to immediately purchase the vehicle, or negotiate an improved selling price.

  Warranty Inspection – Have your vehicle inspected prior to the expiration of the dealer used car or new car warranty. Save possibly thousands of dollars on repairs which can be identified & rectified through the inspection report. Have your car fixed prior to the warranty running out. This inspection may also identify any previous accident damage or panel repairs that you simply don’t know about!

  Owner Report – an inspection performed to allow the owner to decide if any repairs required are financially viable, or whether it is time to update the vehicle. This alleviates the unnecessary anxiety knowing that you won’t be paying for unnecessary repairs.

  An owner report may also be required where panel or mechanical repairs require an independent opinion as to the repair quality.

  This report is now becoming more common.

  Seller’s Report – a vehicle inspected for the owner to show prospective purchasers the true condition of the vehicle & may include independent valuation, based on the vehicle's condition.

What type of vehicles do you inspect?

• Sydney Vehicle Check inspects cars, motorcycles of any size, four wheel drive or off road vehicles, trucks up to 15 tonnes, single axle / single drive, & buses, (single axle).