Pre-Purchase Inspection in Parksville: What to Check Before You Buy Used

Found a used truck on Marketplace that looks right and the price is even better? Get a pre-purchase inspection before the money changes hands. In a private sale there's no dealer, no warranty and nobody to call when something lets go a week later. FTP Services does pre-purchase inspections right here on Fair Rd in Parksville, and we'll tell you straight what you're actually buying.

Most private sales on the Island are honest people selling a vehicle they've outgrown. The seller usually believes it runs great, and maybe it does. But a seller who drives it to the grocery store twice a week can go years without noticing the rear brakes are metal on metal or the frame is flaking apart behind the wheels.

An inspection costs a lot less than finding that out the hard way. Here's what to check yourself, what we check on the hoist, and what to do with the answer.

Why a private sale is different

When you buy from a licensed dealer in BC, the Vehicle Sales Authority has rules that dealer has to follow. Buy from a private seller and the VSA can't help you. The vehicle is sold as-is, and once you've paid, it's yours, problems included.

Watch for curbers too. These are unlicensed dealers posing as private sellers, flipping vehicles with problems they'd rather you didn't find. The usual signs: they won't meet at their home, they want cash only, and they're in a big hurry to sell. If the seller gets nervous when you mention a mechanic, that tells you something as well.

Do your homework before you bring it in

Some of the most important checks happen on paper, and you can do them before you ever book with us.

• Match the paperwork. The VIN and licence plate on the vehicle should match the registration. Ask for the seller's photo ID and make sure the name and address match too.

• Do a lien search. A lien stays with the vehicle, not the owner. If you buy a vehicle with money owing on it and the seller doesn't pay, it can be repossessed from you. In BC you can search the Personal Property Registry using the VIN, and some Service BC centres do it in person for $10.

• Get a vehicle history report. An ICBC vehicle claims history report shows damage claims made in BC. A CARFAX Canada report covers claims across North America and includes a Canada-wide lien search.

• Ask for service records. A shoebox of oil change receipts is a good sign. "I always took care of it" with nothing to back it up is just a sentence.

ICBC also suggests checking the Canadian Police Information Centre to make sure the vehicle hasn't been reported stolen, and Transport Canada's recall database for open safety recalls. Both are free and take a couple of minutes.

What we check on a pre-purchase inspection

Bring the vehicle in, or have the seller drop it off with their OK. It goes up on the hoist and we go over the parts that cost real money:

• Brakes. Pads, rotors, lines and any leaks. Brakes are the most common surprise bill on a used vehicle.

• Suspension and steering. Worn ball joints, tie rod ends, bushings and shocks. A lot of Island trucks have seen gravel and logging roads, and the front end shows it.

• Tires. Tread, sidewall damage and uneven wear, which can point back to a steering or alignment problem.

• Leaks. Oil, coolant, transmission fluid and power steering fluid. A clean engine bay doesn't mean a dry one underneath.

• Rust and the frame. This is the big one. Vehicles that came over from salted prairie or Ontario winters can look tidy on top and be in rough shape underneath. Sometimes it's a deal. Sometimes it's a frame held together by undercoating and optimism.

• A diagnostic scan. We plug in and check for stored codes, including ones that aren't lighting up the dash right now. If the codes were cleared just before the sale, the scan usually shows that too.

Then we tell you what we found in plain English: what's fine, what needs work now, and what can wait.

Take your own test drive first

Before you book the inspection, take it for a proper drive. Ask the seller not to start it before you arrive, so you hear a cold start. It should start without a fight and idle smoothly. Watch the dash when you turn the key: the warning lights should come on, then go off. A light that never comes on at all can mean someone pulled the bulb.

Then get it out on the highway. A run up the 19 tells you more than a lap around the block. Feel for pulling to one side, a shake through the steering wheel, clunks over bumps, or a pedal that sinks or pulses when you brake.

If something feels off, write it down and tell us when you bring it in. That's exactly where we'll look first.

When the inspection finds something

Almost every used vehicle needs something. That's normal, and it isn't automatically a reason to walk away.

What matters is the size of the bill. Worn brake pads are routine. A rusted-out frame or a transmission on its way out is a different conversation. Once you know which one you're dealing with, you can buy it as-is, negotiate the price down to cover the work, or thank the seller and keep looking. If it needs a few thousand dollars of work, you'll know before you agree on a price, not after.

If you buy it and want the work done, you get a written estimate before anything gets touched. Most of what turns up on an inspection is work we do in-house, from brakes and suspension and steering to welding and rust repair on frames and floors.

Buying from out of province?

A vehicle registered in another province needs a passed inspection at a BC designated inspection facility before ICBC will register it here. We're not one, but Jay works with one just down the road and can get it inspected for you, then handle any repairs it needs to pass. If you're buying a truck from a seller in Alberta or Ontario, get the pre-purchase inspection first so you know what it needs before you pay. More on out-of-province vehicles here.

Book a pre-purchase inspection in Parksville

Text us the year, make and model of the vehicle you're looking at and we'll give you a straight quote. The price depends on the vehicle, so ask before you book. You'll need the seller's OK to bring it in.

FTP Services is at 1130 Fair Rd in Parksville, just off Highway 19A near the Alberni Highway junction. We've been fixing Island vehicles since 2012, and the number we quote is the number you pay.

Call or text (250) 720-9841 to book your pre-purchase inspection.

ICBC's full advice: Inspecting a used vehicle for sale.