What the photos hide
Sellers post the pretty angle. We say what’s actually in the shots — and what isn’t (odometer, engine bay, underside, frame).
For people who don’t know cars
Don’t get ripped off on a private-sale car.
Private sale in BC: as-is, no returns, no cooling-off. Paste the listing link. We tell you what this year and model is known to break, whether the price is fair, and which shop can put it on a hoist. You still get it inspected. You just don’t walk in blind.
- $34.99 CAD, once, per listing
- Private-sale ads in British Columbia
- A PDF you take to the seller and the shop
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Paste the link
A Marketplace, Kijiji, Craigslist, or AutoTrader link — phone or computer. We read the ad and the photos.
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2
We do the homework
What the photos hide. What this year and model is famous for breaking, and what that costs to fix. Whether the asking price is fair. What BC tax you’ll pay. A nearby shop with a hoist.
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3
You walk in prepared
A PDF you can print. Last page is a checklist for the driveway. If the seller won’t go to a shop, don’t buy it.
The expensive jobs
Every generation has expensive failures. We name them in plain English, how you’d notice, and typical independent-shop cost — so a $7,000 truck that needs $5,000 of work is obvious.
Price, tax, and the usual tricks
A fair price range, in dollars. What BC private-sale tax actually does. The usual seller moves — warmed-up engine, skip-the-shop, “as-is so you don’t need an inspection” — and a straight answer for each.
Then take it to a shop with a hoist. Not a driveway glance.
This report is homework, not a mechanic. We keep shops on file by city — places that inspect on a hoist. You get the name, address, and phone so you can book.
Nanaimo example
BCAA Auto Service Centre
6581 Aulds Rd, Unit 600
199-point inspection · $249.95 + tax published
Public prices and phones. Not affiliated with BCAA. Not an endorsement. Shops can opt out.