Automobile Inspections
Reviews and Complaints

I found a 2006 Mercedes CL500 for sale at a small dealer in the Palm Beach FL area and wanted it inspected before getting on an airplane to go check it out myself. The dealer listed the car on Yahoo Motors, and on their pages was a link to Automobile Inspections LLC. I booked online and the next morning they called and confirmed the inspection. Two hours later a man named Jeff called and recommended I upgrade to their high performance inspection for a total cost of $349. Jeff represented that they send a person experienced with high end cars and they spend a lot more time looking at every system on the car and "take a test drive". When the inspection report arrived, I immediately noted (a) the inspector didn't drive the car, (b) several high end systems were not described or included in the report, such as the keyless ignition system. I sent them an email asking how on earth an auto inspector can inspect a car without driving it himself? The weather was fine, and he dealer stated they offered him the car. We learned later from the dealer that the inspector stated to them, "I never drive the cars!" Wow. I challenged Jeff about the requirement to drive the car, and reviewed that he said the "take the car for a test drive." That's when he started with the legal exclusion reminders, stated that we signed stating that it is up to the discretion of the inspector, etc. He even began signing his email replies "Esquire", using it as a veiled threat. So do yourself a favor and stay away from this company. They cannot be trusted, and pull out the contract exclusions rather than doing the right thing for their customers. We flew down, looked at the car ourselves, and proceeded with the purchase. When we drove the car we immediately noted that the car pulled, the driver's door speaker was not working, and at speed the tires bounced as though they were out of round. We bought the car anyway, and drove it to our private Mercedes mechanic a few days later. He found that the speakers were erratic because the radio contacts were very dirty, the tires were hard from age - even though there was plenty of tread - and that the wheels the right side of the car were both bent. The damage to the wheels was visible by looking under the car with a flash light. A new set of tires, electrical contact leaning, and a procedure to heat and re-shape the wheels resolved the problems for about $2, 000 total. Then, while detailing the car one day, we noticed the bottom part of the weather strip on the outside of the passenger door was severely rusted where it met the outside door panel. Another $250 for the part we changed ourself. Again our mechanic said that he sees that occur when the dent door repair is performed. The technicians shove bars down into the door between the glass and the door body through the weatherstripping, causing damage that ultimately results in either damaged rubber or weatherstrip metal frame.

Automobile Inspections LLC claim to be experts in inspecting cars for pre-purchase but have totally unqualified inspectors who "guess" their way thru an inspection on classic cars. I had one done recently on a late 60s Rolls-Royce and I ended up spending 3 hours with an inspector explaining to him how different things on the car worked and were "supposed to be". I am a Rolls-Royce restorer of 30 years and the inspector not only did not understand the workings of the car and its various features but wanted to argue and dispute my understanding of them.
Needless to say the report was incorrect in its finding, was mis-leading and provided a very inaccurate over-view of the car. In this case, the car was a 100% original quasi show-car falling within the upper 10% percentile of examples and yet Automobile Inspections LLC, concluded it to be just a "good" car for driver purposes. This may not seem bad but the report seriously questioned the value of the car for an avid collector who engaged their services.
Automobile Inspections LLC had no idea of the unique Citroen-licensed hydraulic system adopted by Rolls-Royce (claiming normal brake pump noise as valve lifter noise), did not know that Rolls-Royces were hand-made (citing imperfect body panel fitment as a major fault), were unaware of the car having major body panels constructed of aluminum (and citing the different "sound" of body-tapping to be the result of excess bondo), suggesting factory applied underside body sound-deadening as restoration "cover-up" handy work amongst other things.
On general items, they could not identify a $12, 000 bare metal respray citing it as a cheap and "poorly prepared" repaint. They had no ability to assess the characteristics of hand-crafted wood interior finishes and leather upholstery. The list goes on
Basically, they go thru a car and list anything they DON'T know as a fault, get paid their $350 and walk away with a "no responsibility" escape clause for any errors. Both the buyer and the seller agree that the reports are "arm-long" simply to protect Automobile Inspections LLC from any recourse from buyers (sellers are emphatically denied a copy and in fact any and all copying of a report is regarded as "theft of intellectual copyright" by Automobile Inspections LLC!) One has to ask what is the point, then, if no car gets sold because of such an over-cautious report that is not only incorrect but then cannot be shared, discussed or reviewed by any other party?!
Efforts to contact Automobile Inspections LLC to discuss the report were rebuttled by threats of legal action and criminal action. They offer a live chat web-link which was terminated mid-conversation and emails and phone calls not returned.
Please note, this report against Automobile Inspections LLC is for the awareness of sellers AND buyers alike. When it comes to Classic cars, buyers want them as much as a willing seller wants to sell one. Classic cars are bought and sold out of "want", not "need". It is not like buying the next family car. What is the point of having an unqualified inspector carrying out an inspection on a car and erring on the side of negativity when he does not have knowledge on the car by providing a bad report. Who does this help? Only the inspection companies, perhaps, who get to do more reports because buyers and sellers do not conclude a deal. What a shame that such beautiful and stunning classic cars are not passed from one caretaker to another because of some ill-informed, uneducated and incompetent inspectors. I can only assume the ill-mannered personnel at Automobile Inspections LLC are most likely failures in their quest as mechanics in the real world and this is their "new job" - to scam a short-gain fee for their well below standard service. A not so lousy $350 at that! You would think for that price, they could do some internet research on the product or get a truly qualified person at that!

BUYERS and SELLERS beware.