ER Equipment ReportersIndependent Inspection Reports
Inspections / PPI-VEH
PPI-VEH Cars, light trucks & SUVs

Pre-Purchase Vehicle Inspection

The inspection that pays for itself. Before money changes hands, we put the vehicle on jack stands, scan every module, and tell you what it's really worth — not what the seller says it is.

A pre-purchase vehicle inspection is the single best protection a buyer has. Sellers hide problems; odometers get rolled back; flood and collision history disappears between listings. We inspect the vehicle as if we were buying it ourselves, then hand you a documented report with photos, measurements, and an honest verdict so you can negotiate or walk away with confidence.

What we inspect
  • Full OBD-II / module scan — stored and pending codes, readiness monitors, and cleared-code history
  • Cold-start behavior, idle quality, and drivability on a road test
  • Engine: leaks, oil condition, compression or leak-down where access allows
  • Transmission shift quality, fluid condition, and slip under load
  • Frame and unibody for prior collision, welds, kinks, and corrosion
  • Paint depth readings on every panel to expose repaints and body filler
  • Brakes: pad, rotor, and line measurement with remaining-life estimate
  • Suspension, steering, ball joints, bushings, and wheel bearings
  • Tires: tread depth, age (DOT date), and uneven-wear diagnosis
  • Electrical: charging system, battery health, lights, and accessories
  • Interior moisture check for prior flood damage
  • VIN, title, and odometer cross-verification
Tools used on this inspection
PPI-VEH — INSPECTION TOOL KIT
  1. Bidirectional OBD-II scan tool (Autel / Snap-on) with ABS & SRS coverage
  2. Paint depth gauge
  3. Tire tread depth gauge & DOT date decoder
  4. Brake pad & rotor calipers / measurement tools
  5. Battery & charging system tester
  6. Compression and cylinder leak-down testers
  7. Digital borescope
  8. Floor jack and jack stands
  9. Digital multimeter
  10. Coolant & brake-fluid test strips and hydrometer
  11. Moisture meter (carpet / flood detection)
  12. Inspection mirror, magnet, and LED inspection light
  13. Camera for full photo documentation

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Tell us about the cars, light trucks & suvs and where it is. We'll confirm scheduling.

EQUIPMENT DETAILS

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MODEL GUIDES / PPI-VEH

Model-specific guides

Exactly what we look at on these specific machines — the known problem areas and how we check them.

Ford

F-150

2011–2020

Great trucks, but the 3.5 EcoBoost has two signature issues and the automatics can shudder. The engine choice drives everything you check.

Chevrolet

Silverado 1500

2014–2019

The AFM-equipped 5.3 and 6.2 are the headline risk — lifter collapse and oil consumption. The 8-speed can shudder. Engine internals are the whole game here.

GMC

Sierra 1500

2014–2019

Mechanically the Silverado's twin — the AFM V8s collapse lifters and burn oil, and the 8-speed shudders. Same checks, dressier trim.

Ram

1500 (5.7 Hemi)

2009–2018

Comfortable and capable, but the Hemi tick, broken manifold bolts, and air suspension are the recurring bills. The ZF 8-speed is a bright spot.

Toyota

Tacoma

2005–2023

Famously durable and famously resold high — but frame rust on older trucks and the 2016+ transmission's manners are the real inspection points.

Toyota

Tundra

2007–2023

The 5.7 is a tank with minor leaks and an air-pump quirk; the 2022+ twin-turbo is a different animal with its own engine concern. Identify which you're buying.

Nissan

Frontier

2005–2019

Tough and simple, but one failure can total the truck: the radiator leaking coolant into the transmission. Check the trans fluid first, always.

Nissan

Titan / Titan XD

2016–2024

The gas 5.6 is a solid sleeper; the Titan XD's discontinued 5.0 Cummins diesel is a parts-and-emissions risk. The badge hides two very different trucks.

Chevrolet / GMC

2500HD Duramax (LML / L5P)

2011–2023

Strong HD diesels backed by the bulletproof Allison — but the 2011–2016 LML carries the catastrophic CP4 fuel pump. The 2017+ L5P fixed it.

Ford

Ranger

2019–2023

A capable midsize with the 2.3 EcoBoost and 10-speed. Watch for the oil-pan leak and transmission manners; light-duty by full-size standards.

Chevrolet / GMC

Colorado / Canyon

2015–2022

Midsize twins with a gas V6 or the 2.8 Duramax diesel. Timing-chain wear on the V6 and diesel emissions are the watch items.

Jeep

Gladiator

2020–2024

A Wrangler with a bed — which means the 'death wobble' and Pentastar leaks come along too. The optional EcoDiesel adds emissions risk.

Honda

Ridgeline

2017–2024

A car-like unibody pickup — comfortable and reliable, but the VCM oil habit and early 9-speed manners carry over. No frame means collision history matters more.

Ram

2500 / 3500 Cummins

2007.5–2018

The 6.7 Cummins is a strong engine, but emissions tampering, front-end wobble, and exhaust leaks are the real story. Tuned trucks need extra caution.

Ford

F-250 / F-350 Power Stroke 6.7

2011–2019

A strong diesel overall, but the CP4 fuel pump is the headline risk, and the early trucks had turbo and cooling issues. Fuel-system failure can be catastrophic.

Ford

Super Duty 6.0 Power Stroke

2003–2007

The infamous one. Untouched 6.0s are a gamble — head gaskets, EGR and oil coolers, and FICM define it. A properly 'bulletproofed' truck is a different conversation.

Ford

Super Duty 6.4 Power Stroke

2008–2010

Twin-turbo torque with thirsty habits — radiators crack, regens dilute the oil, and tuned trucks crack pistons. Short production run, real quirks.

Ford

Super Duty 7.3 Power Stroke

1994.5–2003

The legend. Mechanically tough and emissions-free, so condition and age beat any model-year worry — but watch the CPS, cold-start, and turbo pedestal.

Dodge / Ram

5.9 Cummins

1994–2007

The diesel people chase. Which version matters enormously — 12V dowel pin, 24V VP44 and the '53' block crack, then the strong common-rail. Transmission and front end are the soft spots.

Chevrolet / GMC

2500HD Duramax (LB7–LMM)

2001–2010

The classic Duramax era behind the bulletproof Allison. The variant is everything — LB7 injectors, LLY overheating, the prized LBZ, then the LMM's emissions.

Ram

1500 EcoDiesel

2014–2023

A torquey, efficient half-ton diesel — but EGR coolers, oil coolers, and a tangled emissions-recall history make service records essential.

Get this inspected before you buy.

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