Questions We Hear A Lot

We use professional-grade equipment you'd find in a serious shop — not consumer tools from a parts store. Our diagnostic scanner is a bi-directional professional unit that talks to 11+ vehicle modules at once, reads live data and freeze-frame, runs actuation tests, and checks 16 service reset functions — the same class of gear dealership techs use. For paint, we use a professional Bluetooth thickness gauge that builds a full-vehicle color-coded panel map, reading steel, aluminum, and zinc-plated surfaces to 0.04 mil precision on a movable spherical probe. Repainted sections, body filler, and prior accident repairs show up as anomalies immediately — even when the paint looks perfect to the eye.

Honestly — and here's the breakdown most places won't give you. Our inspection is a thorough 100-point visual and mechanical check across every major system: engine, transmission, suspension, brakes, body, and electronics. On top of that, our professional paint thickness gauge measures 106 individual panel points on its own. Add them up and you're at 200+. Here's what matters: every one of those points is real data. The 106 paint readings can each expose body filler, a repaint, or a hidden accident repair. That's very different from a competitor who advertises a big number by counting "left front tire present" separately from "right front tire present," or checking that the glove box exists. When someone brags about a point count, ask what's behind it. Ours is a checklist plus a scientific instrument — not padding.

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. We handle everything else, and your report lands in your client portal when we're done.

Anywhere across Tampa Bay — Pinellas County, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Largo, Tampa and nearby — private driveways, dealership lots, parking lots, wherever the vehicle is. We come to the car, not the other way around.

Typically 60–75 minutes for a standard vehicle. Trucks and larger vehicles may take a little longer. We don't rush — every point gets proper attention.

We document exactly what we find — pass, advisory, or fail — for every item. We don't tell you whether 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 — every point, 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. 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. A piece of paper says nothing was reported. We tell you what's actually there. Two very different things.

Because dad wouldn't pay for it — and neither should you. Here's the secret: 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 bury that in the car price as a "free" report. It's not free — you paid for it. We include the same data in every inspection at no extra charge. If a seller leans on "it has a Carfax," ask them what the Carfax doesn't show. That's usually the more interesting question. 😉

When you book, you'll receive a unique job number. Once your inspection is complete and the report is ready, visit the Client Portal, enter your job number, and your report opens instantly. Download, save, or share it from there.

Yelp and several review platforms run on a pay-to-play model — businesses that don't advertise often find positive reviews filtered out while negative ones stay up. We've chosen not to participate. Our reviews live on Google, tied to real accounts and impossible to suppress because we didn't buy an ad. Search "Dad's Auto Inspection" on Google to see for yourself.

Our inspection is primarily a visual and diagnostic assessment. We'll 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 report delivered to your secure client portal is the sole deliverable. Any verbal comments at the inspection site represent the inspector's personal opinion only — only the written report is binding documentation of the findings. If it's not in the report, it's not part of the service.

Some national services hand you a repair estimate alongside the report — and those numbers are almost always inflated to the point where a perfectly good car looks like a money pit. A shop quote, a second opinion, or 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. We find the truth about the car and give it to you straight. If something on the report concerns you, take it to a trusted mechanic for a real quote. That's what dad would tell you to do anyway. 😉

Simple and up front: there's no deposit to book. You pay after the inspection is complete. A Full Inspection is $149 (grand opening special, normally $189) and a Scan Only is $79, charged to your card on file once the work is done. No invoices, no chasing.

Cancellations are free as long as you give at least 24 hours' notice through the booking portal. Because there's no deposit, there's nothing to refund. A $75 fee applies to no-shows — where we arrive and the vehicle or seller is unavailable without notice — charged to the card on file.