Don't Trust
The Seller.
Trust Dad.

Usamos equipos de grado profesional que encontrarías en un taller serio — no herramientas de consumo de una tienda de autopartes. Our diagnostic scanner is a bi-directional professional unit that communicates with 11+ vehicle modules simultaneously, reads live data streams, freeze frame data, performs actuation tests, and checks 16 service reset functions. It's the same class of equipment used by dealership technicians. For paint thickness, we use a professional Bluetooth paint gauge with a dedicated mobile app that produces a full-vehicle color-coded panel map — every single panel documented with its exact reading. Repainted sections, body filler, and prior accident repairs show up as anomalies on the map immediately, even when the paint looks perfect to the eye. The gauge measures steel, aluminum, and zinc-plated surfaces to 0.04 mil precision with a movable spherical probe that reads accurately on curved panels. Customers receive this color-coded vehicle map as part of their report — something no basic inspector with a cheap handheld gauge can produce. Combined with our AI-powered diagnostic scan, we can detect hidden damage and undisclosed repairs that a visual inspection alone would never catch.

Great question — and we'll be straight with you. When a competitor says "270-point inspection," ask them what the extra 170 points are. You'll find things like "left front tire present" counted as a separate point from "right front tire present." Checking that a car has a glove box. Verifying the sun visor is attached. We're not making that up. Inflating the number sounds impressive until you realize it's a marketing tactic, not a measure of thoroughness. Our 100 points cover every meaningful system on the vehicle — engine, transmission, suspension, brakes, body, electronics, and a full professional diagnostic scan across 11+ modules. We'd rather do 100 real things than 270 things padded with fluff to make the number look bigger. If you ever want to compare checklists, we'll happily show you ours. Spoiler: they won't.

You're welcome to be there — many clients are. But it's not required. Just make sure the vehicle is available at the booked time and location, with someone present who has the keys. That's it — we handle everything else. Your report lands in your client portal when we're done.

Anywhere in Pinellas County, FL — private driveways, dealership lots, parking lots, or anywhere the vehicle is located. We come to the car, not the other way around.

Typically 60–75 minutes for a standard vehicle. Trucks and larger vehicles may take slightly longer. We don't rush — every one of the 100 points gets proper attention.

We document exactly what we find — pass, advisory, or fail — for every item. We don't recommend whether to buy or not to buy, and we don't provide repair cost estimates. That's between you, the seller, and any mechanic you choose. Our job is to give you the facts.

Both. Whether you're buying from a private seller on Facebook Marketplace or from a used car lot, we inspect it the same way — 100 points, no exceptions.

With respect to the dealer — no. A clean Carfax means no reported accidents. Unreported accidents, cash repairs, private-party damage, and flood damage can all exist without ever showing up on a Carfax. The report only knows what was officially filed. Our inspector physically checks every panel, measures paint thickness across every surface, runs a full diagnostic scan, and documents what they actually find with their eyes, hands, and tools. A piece of paper says nothing was reported. We tell you what's actually there. Those are two very different things.

Porque papá no pagaría eso — y tú tampoco deberías. Here's the secret the dealers don't want you to know: Carfax pulls its data from the same government NMVTIS database we use. Same accidents, same title brands, same odometer records. The difference is Carfax charges dealers $150–300 a month, and dealers pass that straight to you buried in the car price as a "free" Carfax report. It's not free. You paid for it. We include the same data in every inspection at no extra charge — because a dad wouldn't let you get ripped off, and neither will we. If a seller is using "it has a Carfax" as a selling point, ask them what the Carfax doesn't show. That's usually the more interesting question. 😉

placeholder via our VIN report provider at no extra charge — this covers accident h

When you book, you'll receive a unique job number. Once your inspection is complete and your report is ready, visit the "My Report" section of this site, enter your job number, and your report will open instantly. You can download, save, or share it from there.

Great question — and we appreciate you asking. Yelp and several other review platforms operate on a pay-to-play model. Businesses that don't advertise with them often find that positive reviews get filtered out or suppressed, while negative ones stay visible. We've chosen not to participate in that system. Our reviews live where they belong — on Google, where they're tied to real accounts, verified by Google, and impossible to suppress because we didn't buy an ad. We'd rather earn your trust honestly than pay a platform to manage our reputation. If you want to see what our customers say, search "Dad's Auto Inspection" on Google. If you've used our service, we'd genuinely appreciate a Google review — it helps other buyers in Pinellas County find honest, independent inspection services.

Our inspection is primarily a visual and diagnostic assessment. We will move the vehicle to evaluate transmission engagement from park and may perform limited functional tests within the private location — we do not take the vehicle on public roads.

The written inspection report delivered to your secure client portal is the sole deliverable included in the cost of this service. Any verbal comments, opinions, or statements made at the inspection site by the inspector represent their personal opinion only and do not constitute an official finding or position of Dad's Auto Inspection LLC or any of its affiliates or franchise operators. Only the written report is considered binding documentation of the inspection findings. If it's not in the report, it's not part of the service.

Some national inspection services will hand you a repair estimate right alongside the report — and those numbers are almost always inflated to the point where a perfectly good car looks like a money pit. A dad who's been around the block knows that a shop quote, a second opinion, or even a handy neighbor can come in at a fraction of what the algorithm spits out. We're not in the business of scaring you out of a good deal or into someone else's repair shop. Our job is simple: find the truth about the car and give it to you straight. What you do with that information is entirely up to you. If something shows up on the report that concerns you, take it to a trusted mechanic and get a real quote. That's what dad would tell you to do anyway. 😉

A $50 reservation deposit is required at booking and is applied toward your total. This deposit is non-refundable if the appointment is not cancelled at least 24 hours in advance. Cancellations must be made through the booking portal. No-shows — where we arrive and the vehicle or seller is unavailable without prior notice — are subject to a $75 no-show fee charged to the card on file. We appreciate your respect for our time and travel.

A $50 deposit is collected securely at booking through Square and applied toward your total — so a Inspección Completa ($129) means $50 at booking and $79 at completion, and a Solo Escaneo ($79) means $50 at booking and $29 at completion. The remaining balance is charged to your card on file when the inspection is complete. No invoices, no chasing — fully automated.