A car inspection is a professional on-site examination of a used passenger car by an independent appraiser — right at the seller's location, at a fixed price from €289 incl. VAT. checkdenwagen.de is an independent provider of on-site used-car inspections operating throughout Germany, based in Berlin and with a network of inspectors across the whole country. A car differs from motorhomes, vans, classic cars or electric vehicles in its characteristic range of defects: timing belt and timing chain wear, automatic and DSG gearbox damage, turbo and DPF problems on diesel vehicles, model-specific rust spots, and a dense network of control units that show barely visible symptoms when they fail. Our inspector examines your prospective car for around 1.5 hours on-site using an inspection checklist of more than 100 points and delivers a digital photo report with all findings within 24 hours — a clear basis for your buying decision or price negotiation.
Car inspection before you buy: from €289 · on-site
Every second used car has defects that don't show up in the listing: a worn timing belt, a cleared DPF fault, rust beneath the sill trim or an exhausted DSG. Our inspector comes directly to the vehicle — 100+ points, OBD readout, paint thickness measurement. Digital report within 24 hours. Fixed price from €289 incl. VAT.
Car-specific weak points: what our inspection deliberately looks for
Timing belt and timing chain
On a car, the timing belt is one of the most expensive and most frequently overlooked wear parts. If it snaps without prior replacement, a total engine failure is guaranteed in many engines. Our inspector checks the last replacement date from the service records, assesses the visible condition and cross-references the kilometres driven against the manufacturer's replacement interval. On timing-chain engines, he listens for the typical rattle on a cold start — an early indicator of chain tensioner wear.
DSG, dual-clutch and automatic gearboxes
Automatic and dual-clutch gearboxes (DSG, PDK, DCT) are particularly risky in a used car: a faulty mechatronics module, worn clutch plates or missed gearbox oil service intervals can cause five-figure repair costs. The inspector tests all gears for shift shocks, slipping and hesitation — and reads the gearbox control unit via OBD for stored faults.
Turbocharger and DPF on diesel cars
Diesel cars are still one of the most-bought used-vehicle categories — and have two especially cost-intensive weak points: the turbocharger and the diesel particulate filter. A clogged or regenerated DPF with permanently stored fault codes, a turbocharger with bearing play or an oil film in the intercooler are typical findings that are never mentioned in the listing. Our inspector checks both systematically: OBD readout plus a visual inspection of the charge-air system.
Rust at spots typical for cars
Every vehicle class has its rust spots. On a car these are the sill ends, fender edges, the tailgate (lower edge), wheel arch liners and the transition from A-pillar to roof. Visually freshened-up vehicles — a fresh wash, polish, underbody protection spray — can briefly mask early rust. Our inspector looks specifically at these spots and documents every finding photographically, before the paint or the preserving agent hides anything.
Control-unit electronics and fault memory
Modern cars sometimes have more than 80 networked control units — from the engine management to ABS and ESP all the way to driver assistance systems such as lane-keeping or emergency braking. A fault in one control unit can cascade and disable further systems. Our inspector reads all reachable control units via OBD-II, evaluates the fault types and readiness codes, and checks whether faults were cleared shortly before the sale — a classic manipulation attempt.
Suspension, axle joints and steering
Worn-out track rod ends, worn wishbone bushings or defective shock absorbers are common on used cars — and are rarely spotted by buyers on a test drive, because the symptoms only appear at certain speeds or under cornering loads. The inspector examines the suspension on the lift and during a bounce test, as well as the steering response during the test drive.
Cooling system and head gasket
A defective radiator, a porous coolant hose or the onset of head gasket damage are often only detectable on a used car while driving. The inspector checks the coolant for oil film (a sign of head gasket damage), the condition of the hoses, the level and colour of the coolant, as well as the engine's behaviour at operating temperature for any tendency to overheat.
Service booklet and gaps in the maintenance history
A complete service booklet is a decisive value factor on a car — and at the same time one of the most frequently falsified vehicle documents. Our inspector cross-references mileage, entry dates and stamp patterns against the age of the vehicle and the manufacturer's typical service intervals. Discrepancies between the service booklet, the registration certificate and the OBD fault-memory data are explicitly flagged in the report.
Have your dream car inspected on-site
Fixed price from 289 €, on-site appointment within a few days. We coordinate everything with the seller.
What the car inspection covers — in detail
Mechanics: engine, drivetrain, gearbox
Complete visual and acoustic inspection of engine, belts, bearings, cooling and exhaust system. Manual and automatic gearbox check including test drive across all gears. On diesels: turbo, DPF and charge-air system.
Bodywork and paint: uncovering accident history
Digital ultrasonic paint thickness measurement on all exterior panels — deviations from the factory paint are documented as a heatmap. Panel gaps, rust at points typical for cars, dents and signs of repair are captured photographically.
Electronics and OBD: all control units
OBD-II readout of all reachable control units — engine, gearbox, ABS, airbag, driver assistance. Readiness-code analysis to detect cleared faults. Plausibility check of the mileage for manipulation.
Documents: service booklet, registration, HU sticker
Completeness and plausibility check of registration certificate Parts I and II, service booklet, roadworthiness (HU) sticker and inspection receipts. Cross-check of service history, mileage and vehicle age for consistency.
Choose your package for a reliable used-car inspection
Standard Check
Travel included
- Certified experts
- Engine check
- Transmission check
- OBD fault readout
- Brake inspection
- Paint thickness measurement
- Accident check
- Visual bodywork inspection
- Tire tread check
- Visual interior inspection
- Electronics function test
- Vehicle document check
- Photo documentation
- Seller rating
- Market price assessment
- Vehicle price comparison
- Repair cost estimate
- VIN lookup
Premium Check
Travel included
- Certified experts
- Engine check
- Transmission check
- OBD fault readout
- Brake inspection
- Paint thickness measurement
- Accident check
- Visual bodywork inspection
- Tire tread check
- Visual interior inspection
- Electronics function test
- Vehicle document check
- Photo documentation
- Seller rating
- Market price assessment
- Vehicle price comparison
- Repair cost estimate
- VIN lookup
- Everything in Standard plus market value, repair cost estimate, seller rating & VIN lookup.
Not sure which package suits your car? Give us a call — we'll advise you free of charge: 030 301 32 327.
What the car inspection is not — and what it does not replace
The car inspection is not an equivalent of the roadworthiness test (HU) and not an official TÜV report. It makes no statement about whether the vehicle meets the legal requirements for road traffic, and it may not be used as a registration document. What it does provide: an independent, purchase-oriented condition assessment that shows you as the buyer what is really going on with the vehicle — before you sign. Also not included in the car inspection are services reserved exclusively for the Premium package: the market-price analysis (what is the car really worth given its defects?), the itemised repair-cost estimate (what will become due and when, and what is it likely to cost?), and the telephone expert consultation after the inspection. The car inspection is deliberately designed for passenger cars — that is, vehicles registered primarily for carrying people. Motorhomes, vans, classic cars (pre-1990) or pure electric vehicles have a different range of defects and are handled in specialised checks tailored to the respective vehicle characteristics.
How your car inspection works — in three steps
Book online — in five minutes
Tell us the vehicle location (postcode) and the listing link. The included travel fee is shown to you immediately, before you book. No phone call needed, no form chaos.
Inspector goes directly to the car
An experienced car appraiser from our nationwide network arranges the appointment directly with the seller. He inspects your prospective car for around 1.5 hours on-site — systematically, with his own measuring equipment, with no sales pressure. You don't have to be there.
Digital report within 24 hours
You receive the full inspection report by email: paint thickness heatmap, OBD findings, photos of all defects and an overall rating per inspection category. Clearly structured, with no jargon — ready to use in the negotiation.
What our customers say
“I had my 5 Series inspected before buying — the report was very detailed and made my purchase decision so much easier.”
Emre E.
Berlin
“When the vehicle wasn't available for the viewing after all, the refund was completely hassle-free. Very fair and transparent.”
Bartosz K.
Hamburg
“The Premium package gave me a clear overview of the expected repair and maintenance costs. Exactly what I needed.”
Amir O.
Munich
“Excellent knowledge of the German car market, the dealer landscape and price ranges. Highly recommended.”
Denis B.
Cologne
Frequently asked questions about the car inspection
The car inspection starts at €289 for the Standard package and €339 for the Premium package — both incl. VAT. On top of that comes a travel fee, which depends on the postcode of the vehicle's location. It is shown to you transparently during booking, before you pay. There is no hourly rate and no fine print.
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Learn moreUsed-car inspection — overview
Everything about the independent on-site inspection: process, packages, prices and the difference from the roadworthiness test (HU).
Learn moreAll vehicle types
Car, electric car, van, motorhome, classic car and more — all specialised checks at a glance.
Learn moreBuy your car on facts, not gut feeling.
A worn timing belt, a faulty DSG gearbox or hidden accident damage can quickly cost more than the car is worth. The car inspection gives you the facts — within 24 hours, from €289 incl. VAT.