Anyone recommend a service like LemonSquad? Need inspector for buying out of state

[austinm4x]

Car is in Minneapolis, Minnesota, I'm in PA, but I am unable to make the drive or flight out there due to health reasons.

What's my best option here? Anyone recommend any of these services like LemonSquad or YourMechanic to do an inspection? Upon looking at reviews for these companies, they don't seem to do that great of a job. Curious to hear if anyone has any good experiences with these or other companies. Also willing to compensate a reputable forum member if they would be willing to go test drive it, etc.

Thank you.

[ellipsis212]

Originally Posted by austinm4x

Car is in Minneapolis, Minnesota, I'm in PA, but I am unable to make the drive or flight out there due to health reasons.

What's my best option here? Anyone recommend any of these services like LemonSquad or YourMechanic to do an inspection? Upon looking at reviews for these companies, they don't seem to do that great of a job. Curious to hear if anyone has any good experiences with these or other companies. Also willing to compensate a reputable forum member if they would be willing to go test drive it, etc.

Thank you.

My coworker just used lemonsquad to inspect a used Z4 with mods a few states away. He showed me the report and I was impressed at the level of detail they provided and the items they uncovered. He still bought the car but was able to take the price down with the specific issues and was prepared to fix what needed fixing.

Seemed legit to me.

[austinm4x]

Originally Posted by ellipsis212

My coworker just used lemonsquad to inspect a used Z4 with mods a few states away. He showed me the report and I was impressed at the level of detail they provided and the items they uncovered. He still bought the car but was able to take the price down with the specific issues and was prepared to fix what needed fixing.

Seemed legit to me.

Thank you for the response and information ellipsis. Do they test drive the car or simply provide enough drive train / alignment information on the report that would free me of most major concerns.

[austinm4x]

Update: found a reputable place with tons of reviews that will do the PPI. Going for inspection on Monday! Is there anything I should consider when it comes to the payment if the inspection comes out okay, what is the optimal / safest method?

[Poiseuille]

Originally Posted by austinm4x

Update: found a reputable place with tons of reviews that will do the PPI. Going for inspection on Monday! Is there anything I should consider when it comes to the payment if the inspection comes out okay, what is the optimal / safest method?

are you going to pick the car up or have it shipped? btw, what car are we talking about? anyway, in either case i'd probably use a credit card. much easier to dispute if anything goes wrong....like if the inspector turns out to be the seller's nephew.

j/k

[austinm4x]

Originally Posted by Poiseuille

are you going to pick the car up or have it shipped? btw, what car are we talking about? anyway, in either case i'd probably use a credit card. much easier to dispute if anything goes wrong....like if the inspector turns out to be the seller's nephew.

j/k

Shipped. It's an M4. I don't think I can put 60K on credit card lol

[Poiseuille]

Originally Posted by austinm4x

Shipped. It's an M4. I don't think I can put 60K on credit card lol

Oh, sorry, your post I was responding to had to do with the inspection of the car, not as far as I can tell with the purchase of the car, so I was responding to how to pay the inspector.

[ellipsis212]

Originally Posted by austinm4x

Thank you for the response and information ellipsis. Do they test drive the car or simply provide enough drive train / alignment information on the report that would free me of most major concerns.

Test driven too.

[ellipsis212]

Originally Posted by austinm4x

Update: found a reputable place with tons of reviews that will do the PPI. Going for inspection on Monday! Is there anything I should consider when it comes to the payment if the inspection comes out okay, what is the optimal / safest method?

They'll likely require a bank check fedex'd for the final total minus any deposit you can do on credit card. Always ask - my dealer let me do 5k on Amex which was helpful for card rewards.

For the love of god make sure they're legit. Talk to them and do your research. I bought a 328 wagon via eBay from a small dealer 500 miles away and had it shipped. It went well but I could see it going the other way if it's not a well documented transaction.

[MisterF80M3]

There is no way I would trust one of those companies to inspect a 60k car..