From the driveway to a decision in three steps
KickTyres turns a used-car inspection from guesswork into a checklist and a number. Here’s the whole process; for what each part covers and what it cannot tell you, read the full used-car check explained.
01Identify the vehicle
02Walk the car
03Decide with numbers
What KickTyres is not
It is not a mechanic, and it is not a substitute for a professional mechanical inspection on the car you decide to buy. It is not a Warrant of Fitness, a roadworthy certificate or any kind of guarantee about the car. The AI does not invent faults: it only surfaces what is in the verified record for that make, model, generation and engine, and every photo finding is one you confirmed yourself. It is an assistant for buyers — the first check on every car on the shortlist, so the mechanic’s fee goes on the right one.
Step two, for the cars people buy most
The checklist is built from the faults documented for that model. These are the lists it works from, free to read now.
Questions about how it works
How does the AI car inspection work?
You tell KickTyres the vehicle, and it loads the documented faults for that exact make, model, generation, and engine from a curated database. It then guides you through checking each one, analyses any photos you add for damage cues, and combines the result with a market valuation into a clear buy/negotiate/walk-away picture.
Is KickTyres a replacement for a mechanic?
No. It is an assistant for buyers, ideal for research, shortlisting, and negotiation. For the specific car you decide to buy, a professional mechanical inspection is still recommended.
What do I need to start?
A registration plate is fastest for NZ vehicles — we look the car up for you. Make and model works too (Australian buyers enter details this way while plate lookup is coming soon), or paste a Trade Me or Facebook Marketplace listing to auto-fill the details.
How accurate is the fault information?
Every fault is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — and written into our database against a specific model, engine and year range before it can appear in a report. The AI never invents faults; it can only surface what is already there. The repair costs and inspection steps are our own interpretation of those sources, and the page says so.