You’ve found my site because you know the value and pleasure of owing classic cars and have probably had some less-than-perfect experiences purchasing them. Ever since I started this business in the mid 1980-ies I’ve seen plenty of “inspection” services come and go…. I’m this successful because of my highly technical background and the personal service each of my clients receive.  When you hire me you get all the years of my automotive expertise, not a corporate conglomerate interested in their bottom line.  I am only interested in YOURS and that is why people come here.

I get my main business from pre-purchase inspections (PPI) for buyers who may be considering a vehicle and are uncertain of the condition, originality or true value. This can be either a buyer who is NOT knowledgable enough or lives too far away from California to check the vehicle himself.

Is the vehicle a bondo bomber?

Does the VIN belong to this car?

Did the car have any significant accidents in the past and if so, how well was it fixed?

Is the car REALLY a numbers matching car?

Does the car represent the price the seller is asking?

Just send me out with a few days advance notice; I’m very easy to work with and I’ll work with you to set up an appointment that suits both you and the seller. I strongly suggest this service, just look at my testimonials page! You would NOT be the first one who got taken in a long distance deal and the fun of owning a classic car goes down the drain! Especially with cars like this Jaguar XKE Roadster where the only place left for Ricky to ride is in the console:

Because of the Internet’s anonymity the demand for fast and accurate PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTIONS of vehicles has risen dramatically. No wonder, prices for Classic cars have risen exponentially and an equal increase in fraud was just a matter of time. PLEASE check out my “Testimonials” page so you can read real-life press from clients who reviewed my services. Right; I’m not the cheapest but I’ve never seen any comparable reports from anyone – no matter how large the company is. Actually, the larger the company the more generic their reports are….

I work alone and try to take my “second opinion” inspector Ricky (actually my supervisor Chihuahua / Jack Russel mix) to every inspection as clients already expect from me, lol!

My reports are personalized; very technical, detailed and have no competition in this market – making sure you’ll make the right decision and purchase at the right price. I have heard from clients I have the nickname “The Dealbreaker” in the world of car salespeople. Well, my thoughts on that are that I have recommended the worst looking restoration objects to my clients; as long as that project has been presented honestly and the price is in the realm of the car’s value. In all other cases I welcome my nickname, it has saved literally 100’s of clients from making a very expensive mistake.

So please realize these are NOT the “economy” drive-by “Inspections” from a burger-flipper you see offered in their large ads – you get what you pay for! I hear clients complain about them being a complete waste of money. I have actually tried one of those myself and can honestly say my dear mother (who knows NOTHING about cars other than fill-er-up!) can do a similar or better job! I wanted to make that clear, my Inspections are based on more than a 1/4 Century (mechanic and restoration shop owner) experience so please just call THEM if you want a cheap job! ?

In most cases I send about 300-400 high-resolution pictures depending on the nature of the object and no; NOT the kind the seller sent you! These are highly detailed pictured in HQ that show all the good and bad areas of the car – it is just like you saw it yourself. (And probably better)

I go out with my own instruments and check paint systems very thorough as they can hide serious problems. Sure, a magnet is fine but I test with digital gauges to get an accurate picture of the underlying problems as possible. This original 4000 Mile Rolls Royce was said to have original paint but it became obvious it had been repainted with the original coat still present:

Because of having run a restoration business most of my life I know what is important and what buyers should be aware of. People look in the South West of the US for cars for the same reason I did decades ago, to find classics with the least rust problems as possible.I realize this and that is why I dig deep into this problem and try to assess any rust damage as good as I can, being able to provide clients with a quote for having it fixed at the same time. Some cars are worth being fixed investment wise, others are not:

After an inspection we mostly discuss the details over the phone, overseas clients need to consider the time difference between continents. I gladly make myself available evenings and weekends if needed and I’ll stay in direct contact through the whole process. I realize the heavy responsibility I have of being the deciding factor in sometimes very pricey transactions.

PRICING:

Depending on location and intricacy of the vehicle my fee varies and is around $475 for a full blown technical/history/paperwork Inspection in my own shop and near by. I charge for travel time, Los Angeles is not known for the smoothest traffic on the planet. You will be quoted BEFORE you send me out, there will never be any “surprises”….

I will gladly provide a FREE quotation in advance of any service, so just contact me for that through this site. I actually DO try to honor rush orders! Payment is due before any action for inspection is taken, regular customers know I’ll bill them afterward. I offer several convenient payment options like Money Order, Personal Check, Paypal, Bank Wire Transfers; again multi-car discounts are available on a pre-paid basis.