Pre-Purchase Car Inspection Leicester
Buying a used car in Leicester? The city's dealers run along three roads, Welford Road, Narborough Road and Melton Road, with Sytner's BMW and MINI centres at Meridian by junction 21. 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 Leicester and the surrounding towns at one price with no mileage charge
Pre-purchase car inspections in Leicester
Leicester's used cars are sold along its arterial roads. Welford Road has Vertu Toyota and Sandicliffe Ford and Mazda. Narborough Road has Marshall Jaguar and the Audi centre. Melton Road has TMS Kia, and Meridian Business Park by junction 21 has Sytner BMW and MINI, with Sytner's head office round the corner. Polestar sells from Freemen's Common. Available Car at Castle Donington is the nearest car supermarket, and we inspect there too.
Cheaper cars change hands privately and through small independents around Belgrave, Beaumont Leys and Braunstone, and a £3,000 car with a hidden fault costs as much to put right as a dear one. Whatever the price of the car, you get the scan, the road test, the history check and the report before you pay, so you decide and negotiate on what the car actually is.
The price is the same in Leicester as anywhere else we cover, with no mileage or call-out charge. Book online, tell us where the car is, and we arrange the time with the dealer or the seller. We inspect on the forecourt or the driveway, road test where the seller allows it, and send you the video, the photos and the written report the same day.
Postcodes LE1 to LE9, LE18 and LE19.
Every inspection includes
Where we inspect in Leicester
Any dealer forecourt, car supermarket, auction collection or private seller's driveway. These are the main places people in Leicester buy from.
Welford Road and Narborough Road
Vertu Toyota, Sandicliffe Ford and Mazda, Marshall Jaguar and the Audi centre. Approved-used stock prepared by the dealer, checked by us on their forecourt.
Meridian Business Park, junction 21
Sytner BMW and MINI, one of the Midlands' biggest approved-used BMW displays. Reserve the car, tell them an inspector is coming, and we arrange the time.
Melton Road, Belgrave
TMS Kia and the independents along the A607 in the north of the city. Reserve the car and we inspect it on site.
Available Car, Castle Donington, and BCA Donington Park
The region's supermarket and its main auction, both by the M1 and East Midlands Airport. Donington Park sells on Tuesdays and Thursdays and much of Leicester's trade stock passes through it.
Private sellers across the city
Oadby, Wigston, Glenfield, Hamilton and Syston. 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 Leicester, 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 Leicester?
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 Leicester, 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 Leicester buyers
Can you inspect a car at the Welford Road or Narborough Road dealers before I agree a price?
Yes. Ask the dealer to hold the car for an independent inspection and we arrange the time with the sales team. You get the video, photos and report the same day, and the findings are usually the best negotiating tool you will have.
Is an inspection worth £199.99 on a £3,000 car?
On a cheap car the inspection is a bigger share of the price, but the repairs it finds cost the same as on a dear one: a clutch is £600 to £1,000, a head gasket more. The history check also shows outstanding finance and write-offs, either of which can cost you the whole car.
Can you check a car at Sytner on Meridian and one on Melton Road on the same day?
Yes. Book two inspections for the same day and give us both addresses. Standard takes about an hour at the car and Premium about an hour and a half, and you get a separate video and report for each car.
Will you inspect a car bought at BCA Donington Park or Measham before I drive it home?
If the car is yours and still at the auction site, we can inspect it there by arrangement. Pre-sale inspections are rarely possible because viewing time is short and the cars are sold as seen. If a dealer has just bought it from the sale, we inspect it on their forecourt as normal.
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.
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Inspect it before you buy it.
Independent pre-purchase vehicle inspections in Leicester from £199.99.
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