Pre-purchase car inspection in New Zealand
A mechanic will inspect a used car for you for roughly $129–$280. On the car you actually buy, that is some of the best money in the whole transaction, and this page will not talk you out of it.
The problem is the three or four cars you look at before that one. Nobody is paying $229 four times over, so in practice those cars get checked with a walk around and a test drive. KickTyres is built for that part: the documented faults for that exact model and engine, a checklist to walk it with, and the registry record for that specific car — from $14.90.
Pick your city
Where a car has lived changes what is worth checking on it. Geothermal air corrodes electrical contacts, hill cities eat clutches and handbrakes, and a car from a flood district needs its carpets lifted. Each page covers what that actually means locally.
Check a car now
Enter a plate to see the documented faults for that model and what the registry holds on that vehicle.
Check a plateQuestions
How much does a pre-purchase car inspection cost in New Zealand?
Between about $129 and $280 from a mechanic. The AA charges $199 for members and $229 for non-members, with an EV or hybrid battery test taking the non-member total to $319 (checked 2026-08-04). KickTyres is a different product at a different price: $14.90 for the guided checklist, $17.90 with the vehicle's registry record.
Is a pre-purchase inspection worth it?
On the car you are actually going to buy, almost always — it is a small fraction of the purchase price and it is the cheapest way to find a problem that costs thousands. The awkward part is that most buyers look at several cars before choosing one, and paying a mechanic for each is not realistic. That gap is what KickTyres is for.
Does KickTyres replace a mechanic?
No. A mechanic puts the car on a hoist and gives you a professional opinion. KickTyres gives you the documented faults for that exact model and engine, a checklist for finding them, and the registry record for that specific vehicle. Use it to shortlist and to negotiate; book the mechanic for the one you choose.
What does a mechanic check that I cannot?
Anything needing the car in the air: the underbody, the exhaust, suspension and steering play under load, brake and clutch wear from underneath, and evidence of structural repair. They can also read fault codes and form a judgement about how a car drives against how that model should drive.