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Pre-Purchase Inspection for Used Off-Road Vehicles

Know exactly what you are buying before you hand over the money. Independent inspections across Canada for ATVs, side by sides, UTVs, dirt bikes and snowmobiles. Or use our free checklist and do it yourself.

Free to request Written report Free DIY checklist All 13 provinces

Inspection for

1957 VW Dune Buggy

CA$14,500

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What Gets Checked

A full mechanical and paperwork review, with a written summary you can act on

Engine and Drivetrain

Cold start, compression signs, fluids, CV boots, clutch and transmission behaviour.

Suspension and Brakes

Shock condition, bushings, ball joints, tie rods, pad thickness and fluid.

Frame and Body

Cracks, fresh welds, rollover signs, water damage and skid plate condition.

Paperwork and VIN

VIN matched to the ownership, seller name check, and lien status.

Request an Inspection

Free to request. We come back with availability and pricing for your area.

About you
The machine
The seller and location

So the inspector can arrange access directly.

We use your details only to arrange this inspection, and we do not sell your information. See our privacy policy.

Free to request, with no obligation.

Free DIY Inspection Checklist

Doing it yourself? Work through these in order and take your time.

1

Paperwork first

Match the VIN on the frame to the ownership document with your own eyes. Check the seller name matches. Run a lien search so you do not inherit someone else debt. Look for grinding marks or fresh paint near the VIN stamp.

2

Insist on a cold start

Ask the seller not to run it before you arrive. A warm engine hides hard starting, smoke and rattles. Blue smoke means it is burning oil, white smoke that does not clear can mean coolant in the cylinder, and knocking is a walk-away.

3

Check the oil and coolant

Milky or coffee-coloured oil means water has been in the engine, which is common on machines that have seen deep water. Coolant should be clean, not rusty or oily.

4

CV boots and drivetrain

Split the accordion boots open and look for cracks and tears. Grease flung onto the suspension means a boot has already gone. Grab each wheel top and bottom and rock it, feeling for play in bearings, ball joints and tie rods.

5

Frame, skid plates and plastics

Get underneath with a flashlight. Scrapes are normal, cracks and fresh welds are not. Mismatched plastics or new panels on an old machine often mean a rollover.

6

The seat test

Pull the seat off and lift it. A heavy, waterlogged seat means the machine has been submerged or left outside. On a side by side, press the seats and listen for sloshing.

7

Suspension, tires and brakes

Look for oil weeping down the shocks. Push hard on each corner and check it settles without bouncing. Confirm all tires match, check the date code on the sidewall, and look through the calipers at pad thickness.

8

Electrical and accessories

Test every light, switch, the winch, the fan, four-wheel drive and the diff lock. Frayed, melted or taped-up wiring is a preview of the ownership experience.

9

Ride it properly

Never buy without riding it. Run it up to full operating temperature, work through every gear including reverse, engage and disengage four-wheel drive, brake hard from speed, and turn full lock both ways listening for clicking.

Walk away immediately if you see any of these

  • VIN does not match the paperwork, or looks ground down or repainted
  • Seller is not the registered owner and cannot explain why
  • Milky oil or oily coolant
  • Cracked frame or fresh unexplained welds
  • An outstanding lien on the machine
  • Refusal to allow a cold start or a test ride
  • Pressure to decide immediately, or a price far below market with a story attached

Inspection FAQ

Common questions from Canadian buyers

Off-road machines live hard lives, and a pressure wash hides a lot. An inspection catches water damage, a cracked frame, worn CV joints, a tired top end or a tampered VIN before you pay. It costs a fraction of a top end rebuild, and even a clean report buys you certainty.
Engine condition and cold start behaviour, drivetrain and CV boots, suspension and steering, brakes, frame and skid plates, electrical and lights, tires, fluids, plus the paperwork: VIN match, ownership and lien status. You get a written summary you can use to negotiate or to walk away.
It varies by location, machine type and how far the inspector travels. It is a small fraction of what a major repair costs. Submit the form and we will come back with pricing for your area before anything is booked.
We cover all 13 provinces and territories, though availability and travel time differ by area. Buying long distance is exactly when an inspection matters most, since you cannot see the machine yourself.
Yes. The seller has to allow access to the machine and be present or arrange access. A seller who refuses a reasonable inspection is telling you something useful. Most genuine sellers have no problem with it.
That is the point. You either negotiate the repair cost off the price, ask the seller to fix it first, or walk away. Any of those outcomes is worth far more than the inspection cost.
Absolutely, and many riders do. Use the free checklist on this page, take your time, and insist on a cold start. Get a professional in when the machine is expensive, you are buying remotely, or you are not confident reading mechanical condition.
Submitting this request is free with no obligation. We come back with availability and pricing, and you decide from there.

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