A van inspection is a professional, purchase-oriented on-site assessment of a used panel van, minibus or light commercial vehicle by an independent automotive appraiser — right at the seller or dealer, with no interest in selling you the vehicle. checkdenwagen.de is an independent provider of on-site used-car inspections operating across Germany, based in Berlin and backed by a network of inspectors throughout the country. Vans — Sprinter, Crafter, Ducato, Transit, Vito, Movano, Master, Viano — operate under different conditions than cars: continuous load, constant sliding-door use, heavy payloads, a fleet environment with deferred maintenance backlog. These are exactly the vehicle-type-specific stresses our inspection examines systematically: cargo area, body, lashing eyes, sliding-door mechanism, clutch and transmission under load, suspension springs and dampers for overload damage, rust patterns at wheel arches and underbody, AdBlue and DPF system, and the full vehicle history from service booklet and maintenance records. The checklist comprises 100+ points; the on-site inspection takes about 1.5 hours. You receive the digital photo report with all findings by email within 24 hours.
Van inspection before you buy: from €319 · on-site
Whether Sprinter, Crafter, Ducato or Transit — a used van carries a commercial history that no listing reveals. Our independent on-site inspection checks 100+ points, reads out the fault memory, examines the cargo area and body, and delivers your full report within 24 hours. Price on request — we're happy to agree commercial fleet rates directly.
What is a van inspection — and why is it indispensable for commercial vehicles?
The 10 critical weak points of used vans
High mileage and continuous-load wear
Vans regularly reach 300,000 km and more — often loaded daily, with trailer operation and a high share of short city trips. High mileage alone says little; what matters is whether the service intervals were kept and whether typical wear components like timing belt, clutch and shock absorbers were replaced at the prescribed intervals. Our checklist covers these points without gaps.
Previous commercial owner history (courier, construction, trades)
A van from courier service, construction use or a trade business is exposed to different stresses than a private vehicle. Frequent door openings, heavy loads on poor roads and undocumented DIY repairs — the vehicle history in the service booklet shows whether the vehicle was properly maintained or whether repairs were deferred until the vehicle is sold.
Cargo area, body, lashing eyes and floor
The cargo area is a van's working surface and is stressed accordingly: floor undulations, broken lashing eyes, rust starting on wall panelling and roof leaks are typical findings that never appear in the listing. Special bodies too — refrigerated body, workshop fit-out, shelving installations — are checked for condition and safety.
Sliding-door and tailgate mechanism
The sliding doors of a small van open and close dozens of times a day in commercial use. Rollers, guide rails and lock latches wear out considerably faster than on a car's sliding doors. Defective tailgate struts and worn hinges are costly and a safety risk. Our checklist tests all mechanisms for smooth operation, play and sealing.
Clutch and transmission under constant loading
Anyone who pulls away loaded every day — stop-and-go in the city, ramp descents at the depot — wears out the clutch and manual transmission unusually fast. Juddering when setting off, a stiff or notchy gearshift and a shifting bite point are early warning signs that the OBD fault memory alone won't reveal. That's why the test drive is a fixed part of the van inspection.
Suspension and springs under overload
Vans are frequently operated near or above the gross-vehicle-weight limit in everyday use. Overloading fatigues springs and shock absorbers far faster than regular operation. Broken leaf or coil springs, dampers sagging on one side and worn steering joints are typical consequential damage that can't be spotted visually. Our checklist captures all relevant suspension components by visual inspection and test drive.
Rust on wheel arches, sills and underbody
Vans more often sit outdoors, are washed less frequently and frequently drive on gravel lots and construction sites. Stone chips and road salt leave widespread rust starting on wheel arches, sills, longitudinal members and exhaust mounts, hidden under layers of dirt. Our checklist explicitly includes a visual underbody inspection.
AdBlue, DPF and diesel emissions technology
Modern diesel vans are equipped with urea injection (SCR/AdBlue) and a diesel particulate filter. Short-trip operation and delayed regeneration cycles lead to clogged DPFs and coked-up injectors. A failed AdBlue sensor or a manipulated DPF is expensive consequential damage. Our OBD diagnostics check reads out all vehicle-relevant control units and shows both stored and cleared fault codes.
Payload and gross weight versus actual load carried
Payload and permissible gross weight are stated in the vehicle documents — what a vehicle actually carried can't be read from them. A look at tyre wear, the inner sides of the rims and the suspension geometry gives clues to chronic overloading. For fleet use and commercial resale, the registration history must be cross-checked against the vehicle's actual payload rating — that's handled by the document check in the inspection.
Deferred maintenance on fleet vehicles
Fleet vans often go through internal maintenance intervals that favour shorter downtimes over a dealer inspection. Missing service-booklet entries, DIY repairs and stopgap solutions are the result. A complete service booklet is rare with fleet vehicles — we still check which entries are present and transparently flag gaps in the report.
Have your dream car inspected on-site
No-obligation enquiry, tailored quote — straight from the inspector on-site.
What the van inspection checks — the full scope
100+ checkpoints — systematic
The checklist covers all safety- and value-relevant components of a light commercial vehicle: bodywork, engine, transmission, drivetrain, suspension, brakes, electrics, interior, cargo area and documents. No point is skipped, no finding glossed over.
OBD diagnostics of all control units
Reading out the fault memory via OBD-II captures all relevant control units — engine, transmission, ABS, ESP, AdBlue/SCR and driver-assistance systems. Cleared fault codes leave traces in the readiness codes; that too is checked and documented in the report.
Cargo area and body inspection
Floor condition, wall panelling, lashing eyes, partition wall, roof leaks, sliding-door mechanism and tailgates are recorded separately. For special bodies (refrigerated body, workshop shelving, passenger-transport conversion), the body condition is included in the report.
Test drive and driving behaviour
The test drive captures shifting behaviour, clutch, steering tracking, braking effect and drivetrain noise under load — points that can't be assessed while stationary. The test cycle includes forward and reverse driving as well as a full-braking check.
Document check and vehicle history
Registration certificates Part I and II, service booklet, HU sticker, on-board manual and maintenance invoices are checked for completeness, plausibility and consistency. Mileage plausibility and number of previous owners are cross-checked.
Digital photo report within 24 hours
All findings are documented with annotated photos. You receive the complete digital report by email within 24 hours — structured, easy to understand and ready to use directly as a basis for your purchase or negotiation decision.
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.
What the van inspection is not — a clear boundary
The van inspection by checkdenwagen.de is an independent, purchase-oriented condition assessment — not an official appraisal, not a roadworthiness test (HU) and not a TÜV certificate. It makes no statement about whether a vehicle meets the legal requirements for road traffic, and replaces neither an HU inspection nor a UVV check (accident-prevention regulations) for commercially used vehicles. Anyone adding a vehicle to a company fleet and bearing UVV obligations needs, in addition to the inspection, a corresponding specialist examination per DGUV Regulation 70. This is not part of our scope of service. Also not included: repair-cost estimate and market-price analysis are optional add-on services that can be discussed on request. Anyone needing an evidence-based basis for intensive price negotiations or accounting-related vehicle valuation is best off contacting us directly — by phone (030 301 32 327) or via the contact form. We'll discuss the scope transparently and individually.
How your van inspection works
Send a request — no obligation, free of charge
Send us the listing link, the postcode of the vehicle's location and your contact details. For commercial needs — fleet buying, multiple vehicles — we'll name individual rates. No form marathon: a short request is enough, and we'll get back to you.
Inspector travels to the vehicle's location
An experienced automotive appraiser from our network arranges the appointment directly with the seller. The inspection takes about 1.5 hours on-site — systematic, with their own measuring equipment and without regard for any selling interest. You don't need to be there.
Digital report within 24 hours
You receive your complete inspection report by email: annotated photos, OBD findings, cargo-area and body inspection, suspension findings and document check — all clearly structured, without jargon. Ready to use directly for your purchase decision or price 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 used van inspection
The price is communicated on request, because van inspections are calculated individually depending on the vehicle type, body and location. For buying multiple vehicles or recurring fleet acceptance, we're happy to discuss commercial rates directly. Call us (030 301 32 327) or send us a short request — we reply without detours.
More vehicle types and services
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For heavy commercial vehicles over 3.5 t: chassis, body, crane and tail-lift inspection, tachograph and registration history.
Learn moreCar Inspection
The classic used-car inspection for cars — with paint-thickness measurement, OBD diagnostics and a digital photo report. Standard or Premium, depending on your needs.
Learn moreUsed-car inspection — overview
All inspection variants, scopes of service and processes at a glance — for private and commercial customers.
Learn moreAll vehicle types
From sports cars to motorhomes — checkdenwagen inspects every type with a vehicle-specific checklist.
Learn moreBuy a van with confidence — inspected on-site, assessed independently.
Commercial history, deferred maintenance, cargo-area damage: what the listing hides, our inspection reveals. Price on request — commercial rates on request. Tel. 030 301 32 327.