Cost guide · South Florida · updated 2026-11-07
Pre-purchase inspection cost in South Florida
Three prices, no travel fees inside Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach, and the same price whether you live here or are buying from out of state.
A pre-purchase inspection in South Florida costs $299 for most used cars, $399 for European, luxury and older cars, and is quoted by the vehicle for EVs and hyper-exotics. That price covers a Master Certified Technician who specializes in the make coming to the dealer lot or the seller's driveway, a full module scan with recovery of cleared fault codes, paint-depth readings on every panel, frame and flood checks, a written report with photos the same day and a phone walkthrough with Anthony Lapadula. There is no travel fee inside Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm Beach counties and the price is the same for out-of-state buyers.
The short version: $299 Standard, $399 Premium / Luxury, EVs and exotics quoted. Everything is included, nobody pays extra for the specialist, and one found problem usually pays for the inspection many times over.
How much does each inspection cost?
| Inspection | Price | Covers | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $299 | Most used cars under about 10 years old, any make | Make specialist on site, full module scan, cleared-code recovery, paint depth on every panel, frame and flood checks, photos, written report, phone walkthrough |
| Premium / Luxury | $399 | European and luxury makes, cars over about 10 years old, suspected salvage or flood | Everything in Standard, plus borescope and catalytic back-pressure tests, underbody on a lift where available, VIN cross-check against AutoCheck and the national title database |
| EV / Hyper-Exotic | Quoted by the vehicle | Tesla and other EVs, plug-in hybrids, Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren and similar | Everything in Premium, plus battery state-of-health, EV module scan, charging port and fast-charge handshake, service history pull where available |
Payment by cash, credit card or Zelle after the inspection. No travel fee inside Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.
What changes the price of a pre-purchase inspection?
The make and the age of the car
The make decides which specialist Anthony sends and how long the inspection takes. A 2021 Honda Civic is a Standard inspection. A 2014 BMW X5 is Premium because of the model-specific checks it needs. An exotic is quoted because the specialist and the time on site vary.
Where the car is
There is no travel fee anywhere in Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm Beach counties, from Homestead to Jupiter and west to Wellington. For a car elsewhere in Florida, call Anthony and he will tell you whether a specialist can reach it and what it would cost.
Whether you are local or out of state
Nothing. Out-of-state buyers pay the same price and get the same report and call. Buyers in other states are a large share of our work, because a $299 inspection is cheaper than a plane ticket to see a bad car.
What the inspection does not charge for
There is no extra charge for the specialist, for photos, for the written report, for the phone walkthrough or for a Spanish-language report. The price on this page is the price.
How does the cost compare with the alternatives?
A national inspection network
National services advertise lower starting prices and dispatch whichever local contractor is available. You do not know who is coming or what they work on, and the owner is not on the phone with you. Inspect First sends a specialist in your car's make and you talk to Anthony before and after.
The dealer's own inspection
Free, because the seller pays for it and the seller reads the results first. A certified pre-owned checklist is the dealer's inspection, not yours.
A vehicle history report
Carfax and AutoCheck cost a fraction of an inspection and only show what was reported. Unreported accidents, flood damage that was never claimed and cleared fault codes do not appear. The inspection finds what the report cannot.
Taking the car to a shop
A shop inspection costs you the shop's hourly rate plus your time, and the seller has to agree to release the car. A mobile inspection comes to the lot, so you can compare several cars without that negotiation.
Is a pre-purchase inspection worth the cost?
Replacing a failed catalytic converter on a European car, repairing air suspension or sorting out a transmission with cleared codes each costs several times the price of the inspection. Finding one of them before you buy either lowers the price you pay or saves you the car.
The report is also a negotiating document. Buyers routinely use the written findings and photos to lower the asking price or to have the seller fix items before closing. Anthony tells you on the call what is worth asking for.
The price is the same in every city we cover: Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Wellington, West Palm Beach, Hialeah. How the mobile inspection works near you →
Pre-purchase inspection cost FAQ
How much does a pre-purchase inspection cost in Miami?
$299 for the Standard inspection, $399 for Premium / Luxury, and EVs and exotics are quoted by the vehicle. The price is the same in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton and everywhere else in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.
Is there a travel fee?
No. There is no travel fee anywhere in Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm Beach counties. For a car elsewhere in Florida, call Anthony and he will quote it.
Do out-of-state buyers pay more?
No. The price is the same, and the report and the phone call work the same way. Many of our buyers are in other states.
Why is Inspect First more expensive than a national inspection service?
Because a specialist in your car's make does the inspection, the owner is your point of contact, and the report comes with a phone walkthrough the same day. National services dispatch whichever contractor is available.
How do I pay?
Cash, credit card or Zelle, after the inspection. Anthony confirms the tier when you send the VIN, so there are no surprises.
Can I get the inspection and the report in Spanish?
Yes. Hablamos Español. There is no extra charge for a Spanish-language report or phone walkthrough.
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Book an inspection
Know the price before you book. Then call Anthony with the VIN.
Send the VIN and where the car is. Anthony dispatches the right Master Certified Technician for the make — usually within 24–48 hours, often the same day. Hablamos Español.
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