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Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

How long has MotorTech been in business?

We’ve been inspecting motor vehicles continuously since 1970; 

that’s 48 years!  None of our competitors come close  

to matching our experience.

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Where are you located?

Our headquarters office is in the San Francisco

Bay Area.  Our office hours are M-F 8:00 to 5:00,

Pacific.  We can be reached on the weekend via our

website contact form.

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Do you service all fifty states?

Yes, we have over 350 inspectors in all major metropolitan areas and many rural locations.  Please see our website to locate an inspector  near you by scrolling through the listing by state.

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Do you perform inspections outside the US?

No, however we perform many inspections for overseas buyers.

 

How long does it take to schedule an inspection?

Most pre-purchase inspections are scheduled within 48 hours of placing an order depending on the availability of the seller and the inspector’s schedule.  We can usually confirm an inspector’s availability if you call us during normal business hours. We will update you when the inspection is scheduled.  Inspections are normally performed Monday-Friday and occasionally Saturday if arrangements cannot otherwise be made. 

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How long does it take to receive the Inspection Report?

We can usually upload high-resolution, unscanned jpeg photos the day of the inspection, along with arranging for you to speak with the actual Inspector who performed the inspection. The written report is reviewed by our QA department and subsequently made available for upload. 

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I’m concerned that the vehicle may be sold before an inspection can take place. 

Unfortunately that’s a risk inherent in any vehicle transaction, especially those taking place online.  It may be possible to indicate your sincerity to a seller by offering a small refundable deposit to “hold” the vehicle until it has been inspected and you’ve had a chance to review the Inspection Report.

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Will I be able to speak directly with the inspector?

As mentioned above, although we don’t mandate it, 99% of our Inspectors are more than happy to speak with a potential purchaser and provide an immediate verbal report for the vehicle they’ve just inspected. You will be able to ask any questions while the inspection is still fresh in their mind.  There is NO additional charge for this service.  In addition,  our very knowledgeable  hedquarters staff  provides  free consultation and advice before and after the inspection in order to  ensure a  prudent buying decision. 

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What does the inspection include?

Each inspection includes a comprehensive examination of the body panels, trim, glass, paint, interior, trunk, electrical systems, underhood/engine, undercarriage and wheels/tires with special emphasis on the detection of any inferior repair work, rust/rust perforation and poor application of paint.  In addition, we perform an over-the-road evaluation of several miles to ascertain the basic performance, handling and mechanical integrity of the vehicle.  Please see the previous page for a more detailed listing of the items included in the inspection.  In addition, we try to accommodate requests pertaining to special  features or equipment that may not be part of our standard inspection report. For liability reasons we do not perform  compression or leakdown tests but strongly recommend either be performed by a qualified shop as a contingency to the sale. 

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Do you inspect the vehicle on a lift?

We always request that a lift be made available for our inspectors because we know that the chassis/undercarriage condition is often a crucial element in the purchase decision. We ask the seller and/or buyer to make the actual arrangements.  If there is a cost for using a lift it is often shared between buyer and seller.  If a lift isn’t available, we instruct our inspectors to do their very best to inspect and photograph the underside of the vehicle looking for signs of damage and rust.

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Do you charge for mileage?

Our inspection fees are all-inclusive but occasionally if a vehicle is in a location remote from our inspector “hubs” there may be a small additional fee assessed to cover the time and mileage involved.  We can let you know in advance if you’ll provide the ZIP code for the vehicle.

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What is your cancellation & refund policy?

We understand that circumstances can change and we try to be as flexible as possible with our cancellation requests.  Simply, once our inspector has been dispatched and begun travelling to the inspection site, the client will be responsible for the full cost of the inspection. We do not charge “administrative” or other penalty fees for cancellations.

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How do I pay for the inspection?

We accept all major credit/debit cards and bank wire transfers (if overseas).

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Do you perform market value appraisals?

Yes.  We can do complete Actual Cash Value appraisals based on our on-site inspections or “Virtual Appraisals” based solely on documentation supplied by the client.  Either of these are suitable for obtaining financing or insurance coverage.  Please contact us for complete details.