The 160-Point Inspection

Every Wheeley car is checked at 160 points before it goes on the floor.

Quick answer: The 160-point inspection covers six zones "— engine bay (32 points), underbody (28), body & paint (24), interior (22), road test (30) and paperwork (24) "— and is signed off by the inspecting technician. The full report is yours at handover. You are also welcome to send any Wheeley car for an independent Pre-Purchase Inspection; if it surfaces something we missed, we either fix it or unwind the deal.

Before any car gets a Wheeley price tag, it goes through a structured 160-point inspection covering mechanical, electrical, body, interior, road test and paperwork. Every inspection is documented. The full report is yours at handover. If a car fails any single critical point, we do not list it "— we either fix it or move it on.

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What we check

The 160 points fall into six inspection zones. Every zone is signed off by the inspecting technician. The full report is filed against the vehicle and a copy is given to the buyer at handover.

01Engine bay

32 points "— engine bay

Belts, hoses, coolant, oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, battery state-of-health, alternator output, starter draw, ECU scan for stored fault codes, intake, throttle body, ignition coils, spark plugs (where visible), vacuum leaks.

02Underbody

28 points "— underbody

Lift inspection: engine sump, transmission pan, suspension arms, bushings, ball joints, tie rods, CV joints, boots, exhaust system front-to-rear, catalytic converter presence, subframe, fuel lines, brake lines, brake discs and pads measured.

03Body & paint

24 points "— body & paint

Paint thickness gauge reading per panel, panel gaps, signs of respray, accident repair indicators, structural rail integrity, rust or corrosion, glass condition and VIN plate presence, headlight/taillight sealing, door and boot seals.

04Interior

22 points "— interior

Seat condition and operation, all seatbelt function, airbags present and not deployed, dashboard warning lights, infotainment and speaker function, climate control cold output, all windows, mirrors, central locking, interior lights, parcel shelf, tools and jack presence.

05Road test

30 points "— road test

Cold start, idle quality, gearbox behaviour (each gear / each mode), clutch bite point, brakes under load, ABS activation, steering feel, suspension noise over bumps, alignment tracking during driving, cruise control, hill-start assist, reverse camera, parking sensors, full dashboard sweep with no warning lights.

06Paperwork

24 points "— paperwork

LTA vehicle record checks (PARF/COE rebate eligibility, outstanding fines, loan status), log card authenticity, service record verification where available, recall completion check, road tax status, insurance history (where obtainable), accident record where obtainable.

Pre-Purchase Inspection

You can still send a Wheeley car for an independent PPI.

We are confident in the 160-point report "— confident enough that we welcome any buyer to take the car to an independent workshop of their choice for a Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI).

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What happens if the PPI finds something

gavelMajor undisclosed fault: we unwind the deal and refund your deposit in full.
handshakePPI confirms the car: you proceed with full confidence, knowing the inspection matched.

Inspection questions

Who actually performs the 160-point inspection?add

Wheeley's in-house inspection desk, using OBD-II diagnostics and our own lift and test equipment. The inspection does not replace a manufacturer-authorised diagnostic for warranty work, but it is a thorough structured check covering mechanical, electrical, body, interior, road test and paperwork zones.

How long does a 160-point inspection take?add

Typically half a day: 2"—3 hours on the lift and under the car, 30 minutes for the road test, and 30 minutes for paperwork review and sign-off. We do not skip steps to rush a listing.

Does the inspection include accident history?add

We check what is available "— LTA records, log card history, paint thickness per panel, structural rail inspection, and any history obtainable from the previous insurer. We cannot guarantee a car has never been touched, but we can document the evidence we find and disclose it.

See a 160-point inspection in person.

If you would like to walk through a live inspection, message the Wheeley desk "— we run inspections weekly and welcome buyers who want to understand the process.

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