Portland OnSite Used Car Pre-Purchase Inspection Service

Portland's ORIGINAL modern used car inspection company. Since 2006 proper Master ASE Certified Technicians performing real inspections. The most technologically advanced used car inspection anywhere

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Why You Should Only Trust ASE Master Certified Technicians for Used Car Inspections – Portland Buyers, Proceed with Caution

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Established in 2007, PDX Inspections has always prioritized one thing: delivering thorough, onsite used car pre-purchase inspections performed exclusively by Advanced an ASE Master Certified Technician. Yet, many buyers overlook the significance of ASE certification, making it easy to fall for subpar services that leave you exposed to costly surprises.

Just as a medical doctor must complete rigorous education and exams to earn their credentials, automotive technicians follow a similar path. ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) sets the gold standard for technician certification. Here’s why it matters: ASE exists to safeguard consumers, shop owners, and technicians alike. Their rigorous testing and certification process ensures verifiable expertise, giving you peace of mind when hiring for critical work like a vehicle inspection.

ASE is the standard for automotive technician certifications – http://www.ase.com/About-ASE.aspx
Why Does ASE Exist? – To protect the automotive service consumer, shop owner, and the automotive technician. We test and certify automotive professionals so that shop owners and service customers can better gauge a technicians level of expertise before contracting the technician’s services. We certify the automotive technician professional so they can offer tangible proof of their technical knowledge. ASE Certification testing means peace of mind for auto service managers, customers. To become ASE certified, you must pass an ASE test and have full-time, hands-on work experience (or a combination of formal training and experience). The amount of work experience required can vary by test.

The Four Tiers of Automotive Expertise

Not all mechanics are created equal. Here’s a breakdown of the levels – and why settling for less could cost you:

“Car Guy” or Shade-Tree Mechanic: No formal credentials or verifiable experience. These folks might tinker as a hobby, but there’s zero standardization. (Spoiler: There are millions out there.)

ASE Certified Technician: Basic entry point – just one or more ASE tests passed, plus some education and experience. Example: Someone acing only the A5 Brakes exam (maybe from a tire shop gig) qualifies as “ASE Certified.” They might excel at brakes but know zilch about engines or electronics.

ASE Master Certified Technician: The real deal. This requires passing all eight core ASE automobile tests, proving comprehensive mastery of every major vehicle system.

ASE L1 Advanced Master Certified Technician: The elite level. Builds on Master status with the grueling A8 Engine Performance exam plus the L1 Advanced Engine Performance Specialist test – focusing on diagnostics for today’s hyper-computerized cars.

The Eight Core Certifications for ASE Master Status

To hit Master level, a technician must conquer these:

  • A1: Engine Repair
  • A2: Automatic Transmission/Transaxle
  • A3: Manual Drive Train and Axles
  • A4: Suspension and Steering
  • A5: Brakes
  • A6: Electrical/Electronic Systems
  • A7: Heating and Air Conditioning
  • A8: Engine Performance

Plus the L1: Automobile Advanced Engine Performance Specialist for advanced diagnostics.

The numbers tell the story: As of July 2024, ASE reports 172,731 certified technicians nationwide. Of those, only 53,094 are Master Automobile Technicians, and a mere 24,416 hold the L1 advanced certification. That’s less than 15% of certified pros at the top tier – emphasizing how rare true expertise is.

https://www.ase.com/statistics Per ASE (July 2024):
There are 172,731 ASE Technicians
53,094 of which are Master Automobile Technicians
and only 24,416 have received their L1 Automobile Advanced Engine Performance Specialist certification.

We’re proud to lead the pack: We’re the only used car inspection service in Oregon and Washington (and likely the entire West Coast) ran by someone who has been a Certified Master Automobile Technician with the L1 Advanced Engine Performance certification. No one else matches our credentials or our experience with 1000’s of onsite prepurchase inspections over our nearly 2 decades of business.

What Sets Our Inspections Apart

There’s no universal standard for used vehicle inspections – but if there were, it’d mirror ours. We combine Master ASE expertise with cutting-edge diagnostic tools for objective, data-backed results. Here’s why we’re unmatched:

  • Unbiased from the Start: We don’t repair or service vehicles, so no upselling or conflicts of interest. We won’t steer you to “partner” shops either.
  • High-Tech Precision: We’re the only mobile service in the area equipped with a $5,000 head gasket analyzer for definitive failure detection – something “car guys” can’t touch.
  • Modern Diagnostics Every Time: Since day one, we’ve used state-of-the-art scan tools and equipment. Our findings? Hard numbers, not gut feelings.

We’ve watched competitors pop up locally and nationally, mimicking our model but cutting corners. Portland has outfits touting themselves as “the original” or “best” – yet they hide behind vague terms like “professional technicians” without proof of ASE Master status. If they’re legit, why not shout it from the rooftops?

Think about it: When choosing a doctor for a high-stakes procedure, you demand the most qualified expert. Why risk tens of thousands on a used car with anything less than a Master Certified Technician?

The Proof Is in Our Track Record

Since 2007, we’ve earned 5-star reviews by being transparent: We showcase our certifications, tools, processes, sample reports, and inspector bios right on our site. Trust us – or better yet, verify us. We wouldn’t stake your family’s safety (and wallet) on a “car guy” either.

Competition drives innovation, but it doesn’t faze us. We’re committed to doing inspections right – protecting Portland-area buyers from lemons, one thorough check at a time. Looking ahead, we’ll keep raising the bar as the unbiased, expert choice for used car peace of mind.

Meet Josh: The Heart of PDXinspections

PDXinspections isn’t just a service – it’s a mission to shield savvy buyers from used car pitfalls, headaches, and hidden costs. Josh, our founder, pours passion into every detail: from ongoing education and certifications to top-tier tools and unbeatable service.

Modern vehicles? They’re his playground. Josh thrives on the complexity of computerized systems, ditching outdated “simplistic” approaches for cutting-edge tech. We’ve built this company on a promise: Under-promise, over-deliver. That’s why, since 2007, we’re the most advanced, innovative, and exhaustive independent onsite inspection provider around.

We obsess over client experience, constantly upgrading our diagnostic arsenal to stay ahead. As the trailblazers in used car inspections, we’ve inspired copycats from Portland to nationwide – but we’re still the originals who set the standard.

Ready to inspect with confidence? Contact us today for a no-nonsense pre-purchase inspection. Your dream ride (minus the nightmares) awaits.

D&C Motor Company

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Since 2007 we’ve been telling our customers, it is important to research the dealer you’re looking to purchase from, warning them to “Beware of dealers posting their own reviews on sites such as Yelp.”

We’re in the business of helping car buyers make educated and informed purchasing decisions, plain and simple. Unfortunately doing what’s right for our customers, has once again affected us negatively. There are good dealers out there and there are bad ones, and we have always recommended you research the dealer you’re working with in order to make an informed decision.

Max Rossi DC Motors Linkedin
Max Rossi DC Motors Sales Manager Linkedin

Here’s a prime example of this situation: Today after performing inspections for 12 years with 100’s of 5 star reviews and 1000’s of satisfied customers we received our first 1 star/negative review on both Yelp and Google as well as other nefarious activities associated. Of course as any business such as ours, we take this personal so we did some investigating. Immediately it became clear that the review appeared to come from someone who has no idea how our business works and upon further investigation in our system the review didn’t appear to be a customer of ours. A quick search revealed the following about the reviewer, Max Rossi. Max Rossi is listed as the Sales Manager at D&C Motor Company on LinkedIn and obviously is not a customer of ours – https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-rossi-67287b141
It’s not a coincidence that this happened today. Just yesterday, we were contacted by yet another client interested in a car from this dealer. We explained why we do not perform inspections at this dealer and shared what we know about D&C Motor Company.  This client decided to take their business elsewhere like the numerous others who likely have over the years.

Ironically Max Rossi in his review states: “They have no morals and they act upon emotion instead of logic”. Please read below…

Since 2007 we have done many inspections at D&C Motor Company (D&C Motors, D&C Motorz, DC Motorz) and unfortunately the dealer hasn’t taken kindly to our services due to some of our findings at their dealership. D&C Motor Company is 1 of only 2 dealers in the Portland area we have no interest in going back to and have not since 2014.  Without exception we’ve never inspected a vehicle that didn’t have at least some paintwork/accident repairs and many of the vehicles have had larger issues that warranted us ending the inspections early.  Simply put we don’t like inspecting poorer quality vehicles and we’d rather help you find the right vehicle for us to inspect on the first go around.  This is why as part of our history research we include history reports and we also share our experiences with dealers/sellers when we have seen a pattern develop.

The final straw for us with D&C Motor Company was in 2014 while performing our inspection with our customer present, the owner of the dealership decided to come outside and take his unwarranted anger and frustrations out on our inspector. He accused us of slander and many other completely untrue statements. He was upset based on the information we provided up front on the vehicle and dealer as we do with every inspection. Our inspector simply explained, we are in the business of helping people buy used vehicles, we are completely objective and it’s our job to make sure the buyer goes in completely informed.  The whole situation was completely unwarranted and the most unprofessional situation we’ve ever witnessed in our 12 years of business. Ironically this vehicle also needed a transmission.

Again we would strongly suggest doing your research when buying from a dealer. As of 10/10/18 we’re not even aware of a dealer in the Portland area with even close to a comparable negative online reputation. Yelp does a horrible job of filtering feedback on D&C Motor Company for some reason.  In order to see all feedback you must visit under the “other reviews that are not currently recommended” link at the bottom of the page (as of today there are 480) to see the many 1 star negative reviews of others who have shared their own experiences there consistent with what we experienced up until 2014 when we last visited this dealer.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/d-and-c-motor-company-portland – You’ll notice a 1 star review followed by a 5 star review likely from Salespeople or Friends and Family of salespeople, this is VERY common in the dealer world and a dead give away when dealers write their own reviews to cover the bad. Now that Nick Rossi decided to actually post falsified information under our Yelp page it’s quick to see that he has also posted a 5 star review for D&C Motor Company (SEE BELOW)  and many of his yelp “Friends” have also posted 5 star reviews for D&C Motor Company.
http://www.yelp.com/not_recommended_reviews/w21hAaWPJnVWX6V4WpnD8A – 622 reviews for D&C Motor Company that are not currently recommended. It’s really over the top when you compare them to large franchised dealers in the area that have a fraction of the reviews that they have considering they likely have 10X+ the customers. This small dealer literally is reviewed weekly, look up the larger dealers in this area, this is not the trend.

Max Rossi DC Motor Company Fake Reviews
Max Rossi DC Motor Company Fake Reviews

It should also be noted that “D&C Motorz” was F Rated according to the BBB in 2014 which may explain the name change to D&C Motor Company.  Also be noted that there is another “Inspection Company” who advertises in the Portland Market that is affiliated with and lists D&C Motor Company as a partner. BUYER BEWARE. 

In conclusion, do your research, the used car industry can be pretty nasty and immoral. Use the power of these review sites to get an idea on who you’re working with and be careful not to fall for the traps from dealers such as seen above. When you find the right vehicle we will be here just as we have since 2006 to offer you completely unbiased assessment of the vehicle you’re considering.  Unbiased means we have no hidden agendas, we report facts, we are known for industry leading customer service meaning we don’t have to post fake reviews. This will always mean we are not affiliated with, nor do we ever recommend any other dealer or automotive related business, and always provide complete information from start to finish.

PDXinspections is the ONLY used car inspection company in Oregon/Washington on the west coast and possibly the US using a Certified Master Automobile Technician with the L1 Automobile Advanced Engine Performance Specialist certification performing inspections – Portland buyers beware – Learn more

Keywords: Portland Car Buying, Scams, Reviews

CarMax doesn’t welcome onsite pre-purchase inspections in Portland Oregon

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CarMax is now in the Portland and Vancouver Washington Markets. We hope this will be a good thing for the Portland/Vancouver used car market.

Just as we recommend with any dealership we always recommend you go in well informed. There is much to be found on the internet that suggests CarMax like Carfax (everybody has heard of these companies) invests a lot into marketing and advertising and not all of their claims pertaining to inspections, certifications and guarantees are entirely accurate. You can Google carmax inspection complains. When spending a lot of money on a used vehicle you need to protect yourself and the best way to do so is to have the car independently inspected. We always recommend doing this prior to getting to potentially becoming emotionally attached to the vehicle or before making an offer in case we find issues that the dealer may be willing to address prior to your purchase. CarMax advertises that they perform an in depth 125 point inspection on their vehicles. Looking at their inspection, in our opinion appears to be pretty quick and basic when considering these are modern vehicles.

We’ve been told by many of our customers that CarMax will not allow mechanics to come onto their property to perform the inspection. There is no reasonable excuse for this. Since 2007 we have been welcomed by all of the reputable dealers throughout Portland. Portland dealers typically appreciate the fact they don’t have to have the vehicle leave their lots for an inspection. We’ve been told by many that they will not allow their vehicles to leave, because to often they end up at a competing dealer or shop and receive an in-accurate or potentially biased (trying to up sell products/services) assessment causing confusion to the buyer. We are completely objective and unbiased, we only report the facts and best of all the dealer doesn’t have the liability of having the vehicle leave their lot. CarMax states that all of their vehicles have already been inspected and push their customers to buy the car and then bring it back if they’re not satisfied. They advertise that they will allow the buyer to return the vehicle within 5 days. Typically we recommend having it inspection prior to going through the hassles of buying the car, credit reports, paperwork, time etc. but if this truly their policy, it’s still very important to have it inspected immediately at the beginning of your 5 day window.

We’ve done several inspections on CarMax vehicles that the buyers had us come to them within their 5 day return window. A majority of these vehicles had had accident repairs/paintwork that the buyers were not aware of. This paint/repair work didn’t show up in CarMax’s inspection nor on the Carfax they supplied with the vehicles. This isn’t uncommon with many vehicles we inspect at dealerships, however we were surprised by our initial experience with the quality of CarMax vehicle inspections.

There are several websites and stories about the quality of CarMax’s own inspections including 20/20.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1YQkysD15g – 20/20 video
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/carmax.html
http://carconsumers.org/carmax.htm
http://www.truthaboutcarmax.com

There is nothing better than having the peace of mind of having an in-depth, independent unbiased inspection performed on a vehicle you’re strongly considering buying. We come to you and perform the inspection at your home or place of business at your convenience and hopefully give you the confidence or knowledge of pending issues or previous paintwork or accidents that may alter your decision to keep the vehicle or take it back while you’re still within their 5 day return window.

Compare our inspection options

Flood vehicles… Stay far away!

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We had an interesting phone call last week followed by some email conversations with a buyer looking to buy a Salvaged 2010 Cadillac Escalade from a less than reputable dealer here in the Portland market. This particular Escalade was flood damaged. Despite our warnings about the dealer, our past experiences with them and their negative online reviews the buyer was still considering the inspection and purchase.

When most people think about flood vehicles, I think they think about the cosmetic factor of the interiors getting wet and then dried out. What most don’t realize is that a modern vehicle is a rolling network of very expensive modules (computers). In an Escalades case there are over 30 of these modules everywhere from under each seat, each door and in places you wouldn’t even imagine. Although the seller may tell you it was “minor” and it may even look and smell fine this is a ridiculously risky purchase. In this case a $30K purchase. All may appear be ok today but the types of failures, issues and abnormalities you may experience in the future will not only be extremely expensive, but very difficult for any technician to correctly diagnose. Something like a seat module acting up could completely take down the vehicles network or cause the engine to stall, ABS to activate while driving on the highway, render the airbags useless, window to roll down when you hit the horn, etc… After explaining this, the buyer emailed back to ask if GM would warranty it. Most don’t think about this but the answer is absolutely not. A manufactures warranty is in place to cover “manufacturing defects” not acts of nature, accidents, modifications, etc. Edmunds did a great write up on what voids a manufactures warranty – http://www.edmunds.com/auto-warranty/what-voids-your-vehicles-warranty.html

Again, don’t fall the attractive price, it’s just not worth the risk. Sometime in the future when you’re done pulling your hair out, throwing money at it and want to get rid of the vehicle, you’re going to lose out on the resell value even worse than you feel you gained on the initial purchase price.

Stick with clean title vehicles, go in cautiously and be sure to have them inspected!

flood escalade

2013 used car inspection company reflection

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8 years in business now and 2013 was our biggest year yet.

Many exciting changes including:

  • Launched new innovative inspections options to better serve and help save our clients money
  • Invested in many new diagnostic and inspection tools
  • Designed and launched a completely new inspection software which gives us the fastest possible way for us to deliver a complete report via PDF to your inbox immediately after finishing our inspection
  • Completely redesigned and launched a new website

We continue to grow year over year and want to thank all of those who make it all possible. We promise to deliver the same great experience for 2014 and look forward to starting out strong! As always, expect even bigger things in 2014 and thank you for all of your support!

Happy New Year from PDXinspections

Don’t forget to winterize your vehicles

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It’s in the 20’s and we’re still out performing used car inspections. One of the most common things we see when the cold weather strikes is frozen windshield washers. Many people are not aware that there is a special blend of winter grade washer fluid that is supposed to prevent your washer fluid from freezing. Most might see this as more as a nuisance, not being able to clear/clean your windshield but this often leads to very expensive repairs down the road.

Your engine coolant when factory filled has a freeze point of -35 degrees. The risk of coolant freezing in an engine can be catastrophic as it can crack the engine block when the ice expands inside.  The same applies and is very common when it comes to the washer system. There are many small expensive plastic components than very easily and commonly crack in the washer system after only 1 good freeze:

  • The washer tank
  • Washer pump(s) 2 in vehicles with rear wipers (wagons and SUV’s)
  • Low level switch assembly
  • Lines and jets.

In every inspection we not only test and report the engine coolant condition and freeze point, but we also check the integrity of the entire washer system from operation to freeze point of the fluid. 98% of the time we see freeze points of only +32 degrees. A simple fix for the winter involves running the old fluid through the system and refilling with the proper winter grade fluid found at most home improvement and auto parts stores. Most of these winter blend formulas also have the added benefit of being deicers as well!

Just another thing to think about when looking at your next vehicle or on your existing vehicles. Stay warm!

ice on wipers