Pre-purchase inspections should be done by every prospective classic car buyer

In today’s world, the classic car market spans the continent. While it’s certainly increased buyer options, it also increases the difficulty of inspecting vehicles before purchasing and, even worse, opens the door for scammers.

Hence the necessity for Road Ready Inspections, a nationwide company that conducts pre-purchase checks of all cars, including classics. Its inspections include a 158-point checklist, test drive, photographs and video of the vehicle.

Road Ready Inspections was originally founded by ClassicCars.com and sold to Gary Hatch, the company’s now-president. He said a buyer used to have two options: travel to inspect the vehicle themselves or look it over after the purchase goes through. The former can be an expensive logistical headache, while the latter could have a slew of negative outcomes.

“The Internet has its dark side: scammers abound, deceptive sellers, and inaccurate listings have caught many in its snares,” he said. “Individuals have lost their life’s savings, others bought lemons, and worse yet, many receive a vehicle that does not even come close to the car they saw in the advertisement.

“You may say ‘How does this happen?’ The images shown may been 10 years old, or of an entirely different vehicle from the one pictured in the advertisement. Pictures that don’t show the vehicle damage, or the undercarriage rust and rot are also common.”

Hatch said his company gives buyers an unbiased third-party’s opinion of the vehicle.

“The inspection will eliminate several red flags: VIN and title verification, actual photographs in the vehicles current condition, seller verification, and address verification,” he said.

But Road Ready Inspections does more than merely ensure that a car matches its listing. Knowledgeable inspectors can also spot replicas or fakes.

“We also get the customer who wants to know if the vehicle is a real Mustang GT or a Chevelle SS and not a clone,” Hatch said. “The sad truth is that there are usually more clones on the road than the manufacturer ever produced of the real thing.”

Hatch added that Road Ready Inspections will help buyers move through the entire purchase process.

“I often have a customer who has never bought a car online, or maybe it’s the first classic car purchase,” he said. “The customer wants someone to help them, make sure they make a good purchase, and then they may need assistance with transferring the funds safely to the seller, getting the car shipped, etc.”

For more details or to book an inspection, head to Road Ready Inspections’ website.