How to inspect a car online – buying with Manheim Online

August 22, 2019

We understand buying online requires confidence, so at Manheim, we grade our vehicles so buyers can easily understand the level of vehicle quality. These grades allow buyers to buy online with confidence using the Manheim Condition Report and our grading system.

In a recent blog, we explained what the grading score means for each vehicle, which you can read here. But how are these grades determined? In short, the grades come from the Manheim Condition Report, which is conducted by our local inspection teams.

The Manheim Condition Reports are available online to inform buyers of the general body condition of the vehicles offered for sale.

A condition report also contains important information about a vehicle’s service history, number or type of keys, features/options, and the tyre tread depth.

The condition report gets generated as a result of an inspection conducted by a qualified Manheim Inspector using our inspection software TechInspect.

The vehicle inspection is based on an external walk around of the vehicle and a visual inspection only, meaning no items are removed or disassembled to identify underlying damage.

Faults or damage identified during the inspection considered ‘Unfair Wear and Tear’ (UFWT) by industry standards, will be listed on the condition report and can be found in the “Body Condition” area.

The vehicle’s age and mileage is taken into consideration when determining what is UFWT.

Damage which has occurred during normal use or has happened due to the natural ageing of the motor vehicle will be considered as Fair Wear and Tear.

Fair Wear and Tear does not adversely affect the resale value of a vehicle and will not be listed on condition reports.

The “Body Condition” area on the condition report lists the “Component” item/panel of concern the “Damage” is a description of the damage, and “Action” is a description of what would need to be done to remedy the issue.

An “Action Guide” is displayed on the condition report to assist buyers to understand the potential costs associated with rectifying listed issues.

A grade score is then systematically calculated based on the components listed and the action required to remedy the fault. Therefore a vehicle with multiple UFWT faults will have a lower grade score.

The “Tyres” section lists the approximate tread depth in millimetres of each tyre along with the tyre brand.

To see an example of a condition report, please click here. All these factors can now be used by all our customers to purchase online with the knowledge and the information they need to know about the vehicle. At Manheim, we aim to provide as much information as we can to help buyers feel confident when purchasing online.

Condition Reports are published on the Manheim website for all vehicles up for sale.

To find out more about how you can buy online, please go to our Manheim Online page.