What our customers have to say
About Us
Why is there a need to have used vehicles checked?
Why use DGVI to carry out the pre-purchase inspection?
4 Star Vehicle Rating
Test Drives
We never rush
What to do if you can't afford an inspection

Many Thanks for carrying out the inspection work on the BMW 316. ... Having now seen the car myself, it certainly does appear to be in good condition for a car that age. ... Many thanks for your prompt attention.
Mr Goodwin, Leicester.

The service I received for getting my car inspected was excellent. I called on the Friday morning and the car was getting inspected by Friday afternoon. The level of experience from the engineer who inspected the car was first rate which made my long distance purchase of a new car so much more easier.
Mr Johnston, Newcastle.

I have now received the report for my motor vehicle and would like to thank you for your excellent service.
Mr Bhai, Manchester.

Many thanks for negotiating such a great deal, I would have been too embarassed to do it myself.
Mr Edmondson, Crewe.

I would like to express my thanks for your time, advice and professionalism.
Mr Henderson, Manchester.

Thank you for the excellent service and quick response.
Mr Harrison, Cheshire.

As a courtesy and a thank you for your efforts I thought I would let you know that D Booth has returned all of my money that I had paid him.
Mr Poynton, Flintshire.

Many thanks for the report you so kindly and efficiently compiled on my Zafira car.
Mr Glynn, Stockport.

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DGVI was established in 1998 by Anthony Davies the Chief Engineer. Anthony has now spent 25 years in the motor industry and is highly qualified, including membership of the Institute of Motor Industry, Institute of Automotive Engineers Assessors, Federation of International Experts in Automobiles and is registered with the Society of Expert Witnesses.

Now that the AA and Greenflag have stopped carrying out pre-purchase inspections only one or two companies remain with a recognised consumer name. Because of this increased demand and the lack of experienced companies, DGVI have expanded their business and are now able to offer a highly efficient, cost effective service in the North West of England.

Unlike many other inspection companies our directors are still very hands on and they regularly inspect the vehicles themselves. If they don't personally inspect the vehicle, all reports are passed by Anthony and any queries are discussed with the inspecting engineer.

DGVI are totally independent and can show no favour to either the seller or the buyer of the vehicle. Any faults uncovered on our inspection are clearly included within the report. We will however be happy to discuss the contents of the report with the seller in the hope that any faults can be rectified and the purchase can continue. DGVI offers the utmost professionalism and impartiality and our service is designed to put the buyer in the most informed position.

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There are three main reasons why we feel used vehicles should be inspected.

Firstly a vehicle's history can hold some pretty dark secrets. As you may be aware statistics have shown that as many as one in three used vehicles may not be as they appear. If you buy a vehicle that is still on finance or has been stolen in the past, even if you have bought it in good faith, you do not have any legal right to the vehicle. The police, finance company or even the insurer can turn up at any time and take charge of the vehicle. This is probably the worst possible scenario as your full investment could be lost and quite often there is nothing you can do about it.

Secondly, has the vehicle been damaged in the past and then repaired? Only vehicles that have been declared a total loss (right-off) by an insurance company are listed on database check systems. This means that all other damaged repaired vehicles are not recorded so they need to be physically checked by qualified engineers to assess if they have been damaged in the past and, if so, any repairs have been completed correctly.

Thirdly, and by no means least, is the vehicle's mileage correct and are any mechanical parts worn out or damaged? Vehicles in general need to be serviced and well maintained. Unfortunately some people do not carry out preventative maintenance they only repair and service their vehicles when totally necessary. Some people sell their vehicle when the service or mechanical problems become too expensive to rectify, be sure you don't take on other peoples mechanical problems and expense.

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DGVI are not hugely different to some of the national inspection companies, however it is the little things we do that separates us from the rest. We have designed a unique four star rating system to give our clients an instant overview of the vehicles general condition. The layperson can spend many hours reading a technical engineer's report and never fully understand what it means. Failures that may appear to be a serious defect may infact only cost a few pounds to rectify. On the other hand a defect that may appear quite minor and innocent may prove to be very expensive at a later date.

If your potential vehicle only manages to achieve one star, we would advise you not to buy it, if it reaches two stars, we say think carefully about the purchase and consider looking at other vehicles, three stars means you have found a reasonably good vehicle however it may require some money spending on it to bring it up to scratch. Four stars and you have found yourself a great motor vehicle. Our four star rating system couldn't be more simple and easy to understand.

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Our test drives aren't just a spin around the block. Our engineers try to uncover any latent faults whilst test driving the vehicle. They will accelerate as hard as they feel safe, brake hard whilst turning heavily into left and right hand bends. The Engineer endeavours to get a good feeling for the vehicle's road holding and safety. The only area that is restricted by the law is top speed checks.

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Our engineers are only allowed to carry out two inspections a day so there is no pressure to produce rushed and poorly completed reports.

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Here is a little basic advice that you should follow:

• Always view the vehicle at the seller's address.
• Where possible take a friend or partner with you.
• Never let the vendor know you have cash with you.
• Cross reference all the paper work with the details on the vehicle.
• Carry out a comprehensive data check (DGVI includes this).
• If they are a private seller ask how long they have had the vehicle and why they are selling it.
• Go out for a good test drive and try and get to know the seller and not just the vehicle.
• If possible pay by banker's draft or banker's cheque as this protects you slightly more.

Unfortunately we are unable to advise you on which items to check as a comprehensive mechanical knowledge is required. If you need any further advice please feel free to contact us. Good luck with your purchase.

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Take a look at our simple pricing structure here

Our Gold Report is a 181 point check which covers all areas of the vehicle that are most important to you the buyer. Check out a sample report here.