Pre-Purchase Car Inspection Cambridge
Buying a used car in Cambridge? Marshall's row of dealerships on Newmarket Road, Vindis on Milton Road and Babraham Road, John Banks on Swann Road and the Porsche, BMW and Nissan centres sell most of the city's used cars. We inspect the car where it is for sale, with full diagnostics, a road test, a history check and a video report the same day.
Covering Cambridge and the surrounding villages at one price with no mileage charge
Pre-purchase car inspections in Cambridge
Cambridge's dealers sit on the ring of main roads around the city. Marshall's Newmarket Road site opposite Marshall Aerospace sells Ford, SEAT, Land Rover, Jaguar, Volvo and Peugeot in a row, with John Banks Renault, Dacia and Alpine on Swann Road nearby. Vindis sells Volkswagen and Skoda at 383 Milton Road and Audi at 83 Babraham Road, and runs Auto Now, a used-car site on Sawston High Street. Murketts sells Vauxhall at Stapleford, Group 1 BMW and MINI is at Cambourne, and the Porsche Centre and EMG Nissan complete the list. The nearest car supermarkets, Motorpoint and Big Motoring World, are in Peterborough, covered on our Peterborough page.
Cheaper cars change hands privately in Chesterton, Cherry Hinton and around Mill Road. Whichever end of the market you are buying at, the inspection tells you what the car is really like before you pay, and the report gives you the list to negotiate with. The city centre is closed to non-permit traffic from 10am to 4pm Monday to Saturday, with rising bollards and resident parking across much of the inner city, so we agree where the inspection happens with the seller when we book.
Wherever the car is, in the city or in Sawston, Cambourne, Histon or Waterbeach, the price is the same as everywhere else we cover, with no mileage or call-out charge. Book online, tell us where the car is being sold, and we arrange a time with the dealer or seller that works around the city's traffic rules. Video, photos and the written report arrive the same day.
Postcodes CB1 to CB5 and CB21 to CB25.
Every inspection includes
Where we inspect in Cambridge
Any dealer forecourt, car supermarket, auction collection or private seller's driveway. These are the main places people in Cambridge buy from.
Marshall, Newmarket Road, CB5
Ford, SEAT, Land Rover, Jaguar, Volvo and Peugeot in one row, with John Banks Renault and Dacia on Swann Road. Reserve the car, tell the dealer an inspector is coming and we inspect on site.
Vindis: Milton Road, Babraham Road and Sawston
Volkswagen and Skoda on Milton Road, Audi on Babraham Road, and the Auto Now used-car site in Sawston.
Cambourne, Stapleford and the Porsche Centre
Group 1 BMW and MINI at Cambourne, Murketts Vauxhall at Stapleford, Porsche Centre Cambridge and EMG Nissan.
Private sellers across the city
Chesterton, Cherry Hinton, Trumpington, Girton, Histon, Milton and Great Shelford. In resident parking zones we arrange a spot with the seller first.
The villages and the A14
Sawston, Cambourne, Waterbeach, Fulbourn, Linton, Cottenham and Bar Hill. Tell us the postcode when you book.
Included in Standard and Premium
What your mechanical report covers
An in-depth mechanical inspection brings the physical checks, diagnostic results and driving behaviour together. Your report explains the condition we found, the concerns and their significance for your purchase.
Engine & cooling system
Oil and coolant condition and levels, visible leaks, belts and hoses, engine mounts, timing-drive noise and engine performance under load where applicable.
Gearbox & drivetrain
Gearbox and clutch operation where fitted, gear changes, mounts, driveshafts and CV joints, with findings on unusual noise, vibration and driving behaviour.
Brakes, steering & suspension
Accessible pads, discs, calipers and brake lines; parking brake, steering, suspension components, dampers, joints and bushes; wheel and tyre condition.
Diagnostics & electrical systems
Full-system scan for available fault codes and warnings, plus 12V battery and charging checks. EV and hybrid inspections include relevant powertrain, charging and battery-management checks where supported.
Road-test findings
How the car accelerates, changes gear, brakes, steers and handles, including unusual noises and vibration. Premium includes an extended road test. Road tests depend on safety and permission.
Evidence, priorities & buying advice
Written findings, photos and a clear video review explain the issues observed and what needs attention. A personal call helps you understand the concerns and decide what to ask before buying.
Checks are adapted to the vehicle and accessible components. The report records any checks that could not be completed. Both packages also include bodywork, interior and vehicle history checks. Keep the video, photos and report as evidence of the issues observed at the time.
Choose the inspection that suits the car
Clear pricing, the same anywhere in Cambridge, with no quote to request first.
Standard Inspection
£199.99
160-point pre-purchase inspection
An in-depth mechanical inspection of the relevant engine and drivetrain, brakes, steering, suspension and diagnostics. Includes road test, vehicle history, a clear video review, photo evidence and personal buying guidance.
Book StandardPremium Inspection
£249.99
260-point pre-purchase inspection
Everything in Standard, including the video review, plus deeper condition checks, paint-depth readings, an extended road test, available auction, salvage and previous advert searches, and checks for indicators of undisclosed motor trading. Subject to available records, seller cooperation and road-test permission.
Book PremiumBuying an electric or plug-in hybrid car in Cambridge?
Add a CARA Approved® Autel EV Battery State of Health report to either inspection for £49.99, or book the battery check on its own for £149.99. It isn't included in Standard or Premium.
+£49.99
EV battery detailsCompare what's included
Standard
£199.99
160-point inspection
Premium
£249.99
260-point inspection
In both inspections
- We come to the carAt the dealer, the seller's home or yours, across London, Essex, East Anglia and the Midlands
- History checkOutstanding finance, insurance write-off, stolen and mileage records
- Full diagnostic scan
- Engine, gearbox, brakes, steering, suspension and tyres
- Electric and hybrid fault checksHigh-voltage, charging and battery-management systems, where supported
- Road testExtended in Premium
- Video review, photos and a same-day report
- Personal call and buying advice
Premium also adds
- Paint-depth readings on suitable panels
- Deeper bodywork and condition assessment
- Repair-cost guidance and an action planWhat to fix now, within three months and later
- Seller and logbook (V5C) checksWhere documents and permission are available
- Auction, salvage and previous advert searchesIncluding Copart, where records are available
- Checks for signs of undisclosed motor trading
Optional EV battery State of Health report
+£49.99
The battery's health as a percentage, with its own report. Not included in either inspection. For compatible electric and plug-in hybrid cars.
Standard + report£249.98
Premium + report£299.98
Only need the battery checked? The battery health check on its own is £149.99.
Searches depend on the records available, and electric checks on what the car supports.
What happens after you book?
Choose a package and appointment
Book online, pick your time and tell us where the car is being sold.
We drive to the car
We come to the seller or dealer anywhere in Cambridge, at the same price with no mileage or call-out charge.
We inspect and test
We carry out the physical, diagnostic, history and road-test checks, and film the video review at the car.
Understand before you decide
You get the video review, photos and digital report the same day, then we talk through the findings and the buying decision with you. Keep the evidence for future reference.
See a sample inspection report
See the level of detail, findings and checklist before you book.
View sample reportEV battery health checks
What the State of Health assessment checks on compatible electric and plug-in hybrid cars.
EV battery healthQuestions from Cambridge buyers
Can you inspect a car at the Marshall dealerships on Newmarket Road or at Vindis on Milton Road during the working day?
Yes. Ask the dealer to hold the car for an independent inspection and we arrange the time with the sales team. Both roads are outside the city-centre restriction, so any time in their opening hours works. You get the video, photos and report the same day.
The seller lives in a resident parking zone near the city centre. Can you still do a full inspection and test drive from the street?
Usually, yes, with a little planning. We need the car somewhere level where we can work round it for an hour or so; a visitor permit, a driveway or a nearby car park all work. The road test runs on the ring roads and out towards the M11 rather than through the bollards, and if the address is inside the 10am to 4pm restriction we arrange a time outside it.
I live away from Cambridge. Can you inspect and road test a car there on my behalf and send the report before I travel?
Yes, that is most of what we do. You do not need to be there. We arrange the time with the seller, inspect and road test the car, and send you the video, photos and report the same day. You decide from your phone and only travel if the car is right.
Do you also cover Cambourne, Sawston, Histon and Waterbeach, or only the city itself?
All of them, at the same price as the city. Ely, Huntingdon, St Neots, March and Wisbech are covered on our Cambridgeshire page.
Do I need to be there?
No. We can inspect the car directly with the seller or dealer and send you the video review, photos and report afterwards, then talk it through with you on the phone.
Will you tell me whether to buy the car?
We give you the findings, point out what matters and what it is likely to cost, and talk it through so you can make your own decision. We have no commission from the sale, so the advice is straight.
Page last checked 20 October 2026 by Henry, Pro Vehicle Inspections.
Nearby areas we cover
Inspect it before you buy it.
Independent pre-purchase vehicle inspections in Cambridge from £199.99.
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