Used-car inspection providers compared

In Germany there are essentially two types of used-car inspection providers: fixed test sites and mobile on-site services.

The station-based providers include the major inspection organisations DEKRA, TÜV (Süd, Nord, Rheinland, Hessen), GTÜ and KÜS. They mainly inspect at their own test or service centres. The vehicle has to be brought there — either by the seller or by the buyer. These providers are strong in roadworthiness tests (HU), valuation reports and officially recognised inspection results.

ADAC also offers station-based used-car inspections at test centres, plus a limited mobile inspection service. The best ADAC terms require a membership.

The mobile on-site providers are checkdenwagen and Carspector. Both send an independent inspector directly to where the vehicle is located — to a private seller or to a dealer, Germany-wide. No vehicle needs to be transported.

The key differences between the providers lie in the inspection model (station-based vs. on-site), the price (from around €49 for a basic DEKRA check up to €349 for Carspector's XXL package), the membership requirement (ADAC), price transparency (checkdenwagen and Carspector are the most transparent) and the scope of the report (market value, repair costs, VIN lookup).

checkdenwagen is an independent used-car inspection provider based in Berlin. The inspector drives directly to the vehicle — to a private seller or a dealer, Germany-wide. The Standard package costs €289 and the Premium package €339, each incl. VAT and travel, as a fixed price. The Premium package includes a market-value analysis, a repair-cost estimate and a free consultation. The digital report follows within 24 hours. No membership required, no test-centre appointment, full refund if the inspection does not take place.

DEKRA is one of Germany's best-known inspection organisations, with more than 90 years of history and around 480 test sites. Its focus is on roadworthiness tests (HU), damage assessments and legally usable valuation reports. For a used-car inspection, the vehicle has to be brought to a branch. Prices vary by region and are not published uniformly online; according to public information, a basic technical check starts from around €49, with optional modules on top. Anyone needing an official DEKRA seal or a report for an insurance or court matter is in the right place with DEKRA.

Under the TÜV name, several regional organisations operate in Germany (TÜV Süd, TÜV Nord, TÜV Rheinland, TÜV Hessen). All run test stations and service centres focused on roadworthiness tests (HU) and valuation reports. A used-car inspection generally requires the vehicle to be brought to a station. Prices vary by region and package; TÜV Süd publishes ranges between around €79 and €300 for different inspection levels. Appointment booking is available at around 300 service centres nationwide.

ADAC offers used-car inspections at its own test centres as well as a limited mobile inspection service. The best terms require an ADAC membership (from around €79 for members, from around €109 for non-members). The network of test centres is smaller than that of DEKRA or TÜV, but ADAC benefits from very high brand awareness. Anyone who is already an ADAC member and lives near a test centre — or can bring the vehicle there — will find a reliable option here.

GTÜ (Gesellschaft für Technische Überwachung) works with a network of contract partners and approved test sites that also carry out roadworthiness tests (HU). Reports are a focus area; according to public information, prices for a vehicle report are in the range of around €150 to €200. GTÜ's offering is less geared towards a purchase-focused used-car inspection with on-site service; here, official assessment is the priority.

KÜS (Kraftfahrzeug-Überwachungsorganisation freiberuflicher Kfz-Sachverständiger) operates test bases in workshops across Germany. Its offering focuses on roadworthiness tests (HU) and official assessments. Prices for a used-car inspection are not published uniformly; an enquiry at the nearest base is necessary. Anyone looking for a workshop-based inspection while also having a roadworthiness test carried out will find a practical combination with KÜS.

Like checkdenwagen, Carspector is an on-site provider: an inspector drives Germany-wide directly to where the vehicle is located. The XL package costs €299 and the XXL package €349, each incl. VAT and travel (source: carspector.de/preise, as of 2026). Carspector advertises more than 150 inspection points; the XXL package includes a VIN lookup. According to its own figures, the company runs around 476 city pages and is active throughout Germany. For buyers to whom a VIN-based vehicle history is especially important, the XXL package can be an argument.

Choosing the right provider depends on your specific situation. Here are the most important decision scenarios:

You're buying a car from a private seller and don't want to first transport the vehicle to a test centre: checkdenwagen or Carspector are the right providers — both come to the vehicle. In this segment, checkdenwagen is the provider with the lowest fixed price (from €289).

You need an official valuation report for an insurance, court or claims-settlement purpose: DEKRA or TÜV are the established points of contact. checkdenwagen and Carspector do not offer this product.

You'd like to have a roadworthiness test (HU) carried out at the same time: DEKRA, TÜV, GTÜ or KÜS are the right partners, since as recognised test sites they are authorised to perform HU approvals.

You're already an ADAC member and live near an ADAC test centre: ADAC offers a competitive price for members and builds on the trust of an existing membership.

You value maximum price transparency before booking: checkdenwagen and Carspector state fixed prices online. With DEKRA, TÜV, GTÜ and KÜS, an enquiry at the local site is often necessary.

A VIN lookup (vehicle history) is especially important to you: Carspector explicitly offers this feature in its XXL package. checkdenwagen does not list this feature separately.

You want to handle the booking quickly and entirely online: checkdenwagen and Carspector offer full online booking. With station-based providers, the booking process is often still location-dependent.

The information on DEKRA, TÜV, ADAC, GTÜ, KÜS and Carspector comes from publicly available sources (the respective websites and public price lists, as of May 2026). Prices are guide values — regional deviations are possible and are the rule with some providers. For binding price information, contact the respective provider directly. The information on checkdenwagen is based on the current price sheet and service promise at checkdenwagen.de. DEKRA is a registered trademark of DEKRA SE. TÜV Süd, TÜV Nord, TÜV Rheinland and TÜV Hessen are independent companies under the shared TÜV brand. ADAC is a registered trademark of the Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club e. V. This comparison serves the purpose of factual information and does not constitute any disparagement of the providers named.