Pre-Purchase Inspection
Pre-Purchase Vehicle Inspection in Spearfish, SD
Before you hand over cash for a private-party listing, a Facebook Marketplace truck, or an out-of-state deal, have it inspected by a shop with no stake in the sale. We check the vehicle you're actually buying, not the one in the photos.
- All makes & models
- Same-day service
- Free quote before work
- Family-run in Spearfish
What we check
Frame and body — rust, prior collision damage, signs of frame repair or misaligned panels
Undercarriage — rust from road salt and brine, especially on out-of-state trucks that spent winters on salted highways back east or in the rust belt
Fluids — engine oil condition, transmission fluid, coolant, brake fluid, and differential/transfer case fluid on 4x4s
Brakes — pad and rotor wear, brake line condition, fluid leaks
Suspension and steering — worn bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends, shocks and struts
Tires — tread depth and wear pattern, which can reveal an alignment or suspension issue the seller didn't mention
Diagnostics scan — a full OBD-II scan for stored and pending trouble codes, including codes that were cleared right before a sale
Leak check — oil, coolant, transmission fluid, and power steering fluid leaks under the vehicle
Test drive — how it starts cold, shifts, brakes, tracks straight, and sounds at speed
Written report — a plain-language summary of what we found, what's a minor item, and what's a real cost or safety concern
Signs you need this now
- You're about to buy from a private-party listing or Facebook Marketplace and have no service history to go on
- The vehicle is coming from out of state, especially a rust-belt or heavy-salt state, and you're worried about frame or undercarriage rust
- The seller says “it just needs a little work” or is vague about why they're selling
- You've already got a good feeling about the truck or car and want a second, unbiased opinion before you commit
- You're buying sight-unseen or traveling to pick it up and want it checked before the deal closes
Independent from any seller — that's the point
Auto Choice is also a used-car dealership in Spearfish, but this inspection service isn't limited to our own lot. We'll inspect any vehicle from any seller — a private party, another dealership, an out-of-state seller, a Facebook Marketplace listing. We have no stake in whether you buy the vehicle, so the report you get is about the vehicle in front of us, not about closing a sale. If we find something serious, we'll tell you, even if that means you walk away.
Pre-trip and road-trip inspections
It's not just used-car buyers who need a second set of eyes before they commit to the miles. If you're heading into Sturgis for the Rally, hauling a trailer to Devils Tower or Yellowstone, or crossing the passes in winter, a pre-trip inspection catches a weak battery, worn brakes, low fluids, or a tire that won't survive the trip before you're stranded on I-90 or up a canyon grade with no cell signal. We check the same core items — fluids, brakes, tires, belts and hoses, battery — with an eye toward what the specific trip demands.
Why it matters in the Black Hills
A lot of vehicles that show up for sale here have spent winters on salted highways in other states before landing in a Black Hills driveway or a Marketplace listing, and road salt does its worst damage where you can't see it — the frame, brake lines, and fuel lines underneath. Local vehicles have their own story: gravel county roads wear suspension components and tires faster than pavement, and a truck that's been through several Spearfish freeze-thaw cycles may have picked up alignment issues or frost-heave-related suspension wear that a casual look-over won't catch. For anyone buying to tow, haul, or go up Spearfish Canyon and Highway 14A regularly, we pay particular attention to brakes and cooling system condition, since those systems take the hardest hit on grades. And if the trip is the point — Sturgis Rally traffic, a haul to Yellowstone or Devils Tower, or a winter crossing over the passes — we check the vehicle against the conditions it's about to face, not just a generic checklist.
As part of the checkup we also verify the wheel alignment check, the brake inspection, and where the vehicle stands against its factory maintenance schedule.
What it costs and how long it takes
A pre-purchase inspection typically takes about an hour to an hour and a half, covering the checklist above plus a test drive and diagnostic scan. Pricing depends on vehicle type (car, truck, diesel, 4x4). We can often get you in same-day or next-day if you're on a deadline with a seller.
How our process works
- 1
Book it
Tell us the vehicle (or bring it in) and, if possible, get us the VIN ahead of time so we know what we're looking at.
- 2
Inspect
Full checklist: frame, fluids, brakes, suspension, tires, undercarriage, diagnostic scan, and a test drive.
- 3
Report
We give you a plain-language written summary: what's fine, what's a minor item, and what's a real cost or safety concern.
- 4
Decide
You take the report into your negotiation or your decision to walk away. We're not the ones with a stake in the sale.
Service area
We inspect vehicles for buyers throughout Spearfish, Belle Fourche, Sturgis, Deadwood, Lead, Whitewood, Saint Onge, Central City, the Northern Black Hills, the I-90 corridor, and Spearfish Canyon, and we can accommodate out-of-town buyers traveling here to pick up a vehicle.
Frequently asked questions
Get it inspected before you buy
Don't find out what's wrong with it after the title's in your name. Get an independent inspection first, from a shop that isn't the one selling it to you.
Auto Choice Service Center · 2935 E Colorado Blvd, Spearfish, SD 57783
Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM · Saturday & Sunday: Closed
Request an appointment
Tell us about your vehicle and what you're noticing. We'll confirm a time by phone or email — or call (605) 722-1527 during shop hours.