Pre-Inspection Car Purchase

[theurbanspectacle]

Just wanted to start off with that I don't know ANYTHING about cars except that the Z3 is my dream car, so I need some help.
I'm hiring a mechanic to inspect a Z3 with almost 50,000Miles.
Their pre-inspection entails:

What does a pre-purchase inspection entail?

For your convenience, our mechanics go to the car owner’s location to inspect the car. The mechanic performs a standard 150-point inspection that includes a visual inspection of the fluids, body, brakes, cooling system, suspension, HVAC, tires, and overall external appearance. They do not put the car on a lift but may use floor jacks to raise up parts of the car as needed. The mechanic will also take photos of the exterior and interior.

Do you guys have any notes I can send over to the mechanic to check on for me in case they don't check it out (just to make sure) from their pre-inspection protocols?
Things overlooked in Z3's specifically that also are usual wear and tear?

I remember reading somewhere on this forum something about "Taking off the floor carpeting and inspecting to see if (whatever it was they're talking about) is rusting"
I'm not sure if pre-inspection entails that that kind of stuff (do they?)

I just want to add some notes to the mechanic to check on for me if they don't usually get to it for pre-inspections Thank you all so much!

 

[andyglym]

1. Check for ingress of water, are the carpets damp/wet.
2. Do the seats rock - Seat bushes
3. Does the cabin fan work on all 4 speeds
4. Air-conditioning, if fitted
5. Does the roof fold back under power - If electric roof fitted
6. Is there any damage to the rear window or missing thread from the external stitching
7. Any history of the cooling system - water pump, belts/pulleys etc
8. Shocks/springs
9. Water ingress into the boot/trunk - third brake light/aerial grommet/rear light seals
10. Differential hanger cracks, diff spot welds in boot/trunk giving way
11. Ticking from the VANOS
12. Cooling fan moving latterly (can fail and will need replacing)

That's all I can think of for now, good luck.

 

[t-tony]

Rear axle beam mounting bushes likely to have failed leaving the beam sitting on the support plates. I suspect what you're referring to are the spot welds across the boot floor, close to the front of the boot space possibility of them broken away from the floor. I would expect a mechanic going to inspect a particular model of car would make it his business to do his/her homework before doing the inspection.

Tony.

 

[the Nefyn cat]

Bit late, perhaps, but bear in mind that the newest of these are going to be nearly 20 years old, and will not be in what you might call the first flush of youth. Not that that's a bad thing, of course. Said the wrinkly old git.

 

[colb]

I would want it scanned with a code reader for faults, did that when I went to look at my Z4, seller was quite agreeable for me to do it, revealed a couple of things that I knew were easy fixes but used them to get the asking price down. Also made a point of checking out the roof by raising and lowering a few times. Think the others have covered all the rest re mechanicals to check.