Pre-Purchase Car Inspection Northampton
Buying a used car in Northampton? Most of the town's dealers sit in two clusters, Riverside off the A45 and Bedford Road by the M1, and a lot of their stock has just come through the Manheim auction at Brackmills. We inspect the car where it is for sale: full diagnostics, a road test, a history check and a video report the same day.
Covering Northampton and the surrounding towns at one price with no mileage charge
Pre-purchase car inspections in Northampton
Riverside Retail Park and Riverside Business Park on the A45 hold the franchised names: Listers U used-car centre on Museum Way, Allen Ford and Omoda on Fairground Way, Vertu Vauxhall on Carousel Way and the Peugeot and Hyundai sites on Fortune Close. Bedford Road, a couple of minutes from the M1, has Marshall Skoda and Wollaston BMW and MINI, and the big former car-supermarket plot that was Imperial, then CarShop, then Cazoo.
Manheim's Brackmills auction puts more than 20,000 trade and ex-fleet vehicles a year through its lanes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and a lot of local forecourt stock was in those lanes a week or two before it was advertised. A dealer who bought a car last week knows little about it. Our inspection tells you what it is before you pay, and the price you agree reflects it.
We inspect anywhere in Northampton and the villages around it for the same price as everywhere 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 seller. The video, photos and written report are with you the same day.
Postcodes NN1 to NN7.
Every inspection includes
Where we inspect in Northampton
Any dealer forecourt, car supermarket, auction collection or private seller's driveway. These are the main places people in Northampton buy from.
Riverside Retail Park and Riverside Business Park, A45
Listers U, Allen Ford, Vertu Vauxhall, Omoda and the Fortune Close dealers. Reserve the car and we inspect on site, road test included where the dealer allows it.
Bedford Road, NN1
Marshall Skoda and Wollaston BMW and MINI, two minutes from M1 junction 15. Approved-used stock, prepared by the dealer, checked by us.
Manheim Northampton, Salthouse Road, Brackmills
Sales on Tuesdays and Thursdays, around 300 vehicles each: dealer part exchanges, finance repossessions and trade stock. If the car you are looking at was bought here, the Premium inspection's auction searches show its lot and its declared condition.
Independents in Kingsthorpe, Duston and Weston Favell
Smaller forecourts across the town. Reserve the car and we inspect it on site.
Private sellers
Driveways from Brixworth to Wootton. Tell us the postcode and we arrange a time with the seller if you cannot be there.
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 Northampton, 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 Northampton?
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 Northampton, 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 Northampton buyers
Can you inspect a car at Riverside, at Listers U or Allen Ford, before I pay a deposit?
Yes. Ask the dealer to hold the car for an independent inspection, and we arrange the time with the sales team. We inspect on their forecourt, road test where they allow it and send you the video, photos and report the same day, so you decide before any money moves.
I am buying at Manheim on Brackmills. Can you look at the car?
Auction cars are sold as seen with short viewing windows, so a full pre-sale inspection is rarely possible. Once the car is yours and at home, or if a dealer has just bought it from the sale and is retailing it, we inspect it in full and the Premium package traces its auction history.
Can you come to a dealer on Bedford Road the same day I view the car?
Sometimes. The online calendar shows times from 9am to 6pm for the next 30 days, and anything within 24 hours needs a WhatsApp message first so we can confirm the diary and the dealer. Next-day is usually straightforward.
The seller in Kingsthorpe is only free after work. Can you inspect in the evening?
Our last slot starts at 5pm, which works for most sellers who finish at four or five. Later than that we lose daylight for the bodywork and underbody checks, so a Saturday or Sunday morning is the better option.
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 Northampton from £199.99.
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