Searching for a Camper Van

I think you're already on the right track by contacting the local Ford dealership. I can't think of anything that would compare to the association that you're used too. Here, if people are going to get an inspection (and far few people do/or at least have enough of a mechanical background to make an informed decision) they will take it to their personal mechanic. Since you obviously don't have a local mechanic, then going to the dealership should be a good bet (although you'll pay a little more than going to an independent garage.)

Michael, don't let me take all the credit for that choice. It was at the suggestion of our friend and colleague, glc, that I knew how to go about getting an independent report. The problem with getting a local mechanic was, that I do not know who is a buddy of the seller, and I could end up with a report which is not so independent. Speaking with said member, we decided that the best way to go was through the local dealership. It's actually located in your general direction. Just 50 miles south of Chicago.

Lifey

It came a bit late for me, as I have already arranged the inspection through the Ford dealer, but for future reference, I shall post this here. It is still a puzzle to me that this is not more widely known.

National Auto Inspection Services - Pre Purchase Used Car Inspection.

Am seriously thinking of getting them to check the vehicle out, as well. Have requested a quote.

Lifey

I apologize - I honestly didn't know companies like that existed.

.........it appears NAIS is a national agency which contracts with local independent mechanics and body shops to do the inspections, so your concerns about possible conflicts of interest between a seller and a local shop seem to still be present. I do not perceive NAIS to be a business with a physical presence in Cities A, B, and C. On the contrary, I imagine the local mechanic's shops and body shops contracted to NAIS field a phone call or email from NAIS, drive a short distance to the seller's location, whip out a quick report, and are back at their shop in < 1 hour. With ASE and qualified shop hourly labor rates running $75-100/hour, or more, I can not envision contracted inspectors devoting much time to these tasks.

In looking through the FAQs, I see the inspector will NOT personally test-drive the vehicle, but instead MAY do a ride-along for UP TO 5 miles. I personally find it hard to evaluate steering, braking, suspension behavior, transmission behavior on a ride-along, and 5 miles strikes me as a short test-drive.

The inspectors only inspect the underside of the vehicle IF the seller has a lift and IF the seller agrees to lift the vehicle.

There is no opportunity for a compression test.

All of that said, I find the fee to be entirely reasonable and an inspection via NAIS to be far, far better than none at all. With a dealership seller, I'd want assurances the inspector would have access to the underside of the vehicle via the dealership's lift. I would absolutely require same where a vehicle owned/used in snow/ice/salt country is concerned, as there seems to be no way to evaluate levels of corrosion related to winter use in northern climes absent an up-close look underneath.

Glad to see you're making progress, Lifey. Wish I could be more help.

Foy

Yup Foy.... I read all that before I posted. The whole darn site.

Exactly the way it works here. That is exactly how our automobile club works. None of the mechanics are employed by them, but they are all answerable to them.

Lifey

The Red report here would appear to be a thorough report [Have not read it through] with a test drive, a full report and photographs. The downside [I think] it is $349, plus a dollar a mile for every mile travelled over 25 miles from there nearest shop. Although you shouldn't have too much to worry about when using a Ford main dealer service to inspect it anyway, unless something came up that you thought needed a second opinion.

If it's possible, I would want them to do a full governmental road safety inspection test with paperwork to help insure no corners are cut. I don't know what it is called, but the equivalent of the UK's MOT test that you are required to have to use the vehicle on the public highway. Over here, it doesn't matter if it has 9 months of the year left to run, you can still book another test if you have concerns. It's a fixed rate and covers brakes, tyres, steering, suspension, lights, rust, emissions, even light bulbs and wiper blades etc but not mechanical condition. As the MOT is a goverment document and recorded, they take extra care before passing the vehicle 'fit for the road'. Is it the same in the USA ? Perhaps the Ford dealer could do the official test and carry out a mechanical check and service ?

Dave, that sounds the same as what we have here, the roadworthy certificate. You really can't sell a vehicle without it. Not that there is a law against it, but no one will buy it. It would mean that they have to get one, and get repairs done, if necessary, before they can register it.

I have already spoken at length with the Ford dealership, and sent them an email with the list of things I want looked at. But they will not do it till the cheque from friend arrives and is cleared. OMG! I find that so hard to cope with. I don't know anyone who still uses cheques. Here all banking and payments are done by electronic transfer, from bank account to bank account - regardless of which bank it comes from or which bank it goes to... even credit unions, etc. So I am totally dependent on calling my friend, tell what cheque to write, mail it, and wait for USPS to deliver it, then wait for the bank to get back to the issuing bank to clear it.... and a couple of weeks have gone.

And friend who has all my money leaves for Europe on 15th October.

NAIS is on my list to call, in a few hours. It is one of three calls on my list for am USA time. That makes the total this week to almost two dozen. Thank God for Skype. Without it, I would not be able to call Toll Free numbers, toll free. Not that they are all toll free, but it softens the blow. (And you know how big that blow is.)

Next comes organising the six months storage.

Lifey

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Dave, that sounds the same as what we have here, the roadworthy certificate. You really can't sell a vehicle without it. Not that there is a law against it, but no one will buy it. It would mean that they have to get one, and get repairs done, if necessary, before they can register it.

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Exactly that. My thinking was that to carry out that sort of inpection privately, it would cost at least double the fixed maximum fee that could be charged for the test that is pre set by the government. [Over here anyway] So even though the vehicle might have had a test a few months ago, it doesn't mean there is nothing wrong now. Re-testing it could be a way of a cheap and thorough examination of the road worthiness side of things [NOT MECHANICAL, although emissions test can sometimes give an idea]. The other thing is that although you are paying the bill, the work is done for the government and recorded on computers and other than the most 'dodgy' dealers, means you will get a fair and unbiased test unbiased report as the workshops are subject to inspections and punishment, if they do not do the job properly, so not such a big risk of a big tip from the owner to turn a blind eye. [lol] . [Again, that's this side of the pond, so one of our US mates will be able to advise better on what happens there.]

When I buy a second hand vehicle [which is quite often, ask Lezli LOL] with anything under half it's ticket left, I inspect it and service if needed and then take it to re-new it's ticket. A brand new ticket increases the value of of the vehicle and put's your mind at rest that you haven't missed anything.

At least partly the reason there is no such national vehicle condition license/regulation is that every individual state makes up it's own laws on such matters. The Federal government has no role here. The closest national-level program would be the Car Fax program that keeps track of car wrecks and car repairs for the vehicle in it's databases.

Mark