Karchek

If you need someone to check out a used car in the Seattle area, KarChek is the place to call! The service was very prompt and very thorough, considering that they come to the vehicle. There's a checklist that is completed, and although many things are checked, it doesn't take a huge amount of time. The fella who did our inspection is very honest, trustworthy, and appropriately particular. If your long-distance daughter or mother is purchasing a used vehicle in the Seattle area, you'll all sleep better if you call on KarChek for help! Honestly, though, any purchaser of a used vehicle can really benefit from the information you'll get for just $99!

Very good service, provided valuable information, which helped the decision to purchase a used car.

KarChek was fabulous. In addition to being prompt (they come to you) and personable, Jim was incredibly detail oriented. He documented every possible concern with the car, from noting that a door had been repainted (but that there was no frame damage) to confirming that it was a smoke-free car.
He also talked my buyer through future service dates and needs, and told him when he should expect to have a service done in the future, and more.
Best of all, because KarChek doesn't offer car repair services, this was totally independent. There was no upselling.
If you are thinking of buying a car, see KarChek. Sellers might appreciate it, too.

Prior to the inspection we had spoken with Jim on the phone and were impressed with his candor and honesty.
Jim arrived ahead of time at the selling dealership to check used SUV. Did a very professional and detailed inspection of the vehicle covering all systems. Examined interior systems and made sure that all of te controls functioned. Checked the underbody. We accompanied him on the test drive which covered freeway and surface streets.
Throughout the process Jim answered all questions fully.
We intend to use Jim for any future can inspections and have no hesitation in recommending him.

Jim was super professional, highly experienced and extremely helpful, but MOST OF ALL: HONEST. This one attribute covers all others. The man was so HONEST that he telephoned me once from the vehicle's site to tell me that and quot;the car was so bad, he could not in good conscience waste my money on inspecting it) (unless I insisted of course). I was so impressed that I was prompted to offer him some gas money for his trip from Everett to Seattle, but he politely refused and thanked me for my business. Here is a professional who could have easily made another $100, since he was not obligated by contract to cancel an inspection of a car once I had sent him to inspect it. The fact that Autos For-Sale ads are often misleading and inaccurate is not his fault; and I was sending him in my place to vehicles I never checked in person. Once he had made the trip from Everett to Seattle, he technically has the right to proceed with the inspection even if the car was an empty wreck on four blocks. But not Jim; he has character.
If that were not outstanding enough, he telephoned me another time from another used vehicle's location to let me know -yet again- that it was not worth the inspection and that, based on what he had learned about me from previous inspections, and quot;This car is not the one for youand quot;! Those were his exact words! Again, Jim of KarChek was trying to save me more money. Unfortunately, I was in the hospital and could not take his call, so he waited for a while hoping I would call him back; but I did not, so he had no choice but to inspect it, as he had committed to do.
KarChek inspections are excellent and the fees are at least $25 less than other services. Jim is very knowledgeable and meticulous on details. He notes in his report every tiny dent, chip, ding, stain or scratch and any drops of leaking liquid.
He inspects the car inside and out, top to buttom and underneath; and personally tries every single function or feature in the car and reports anything that is not functioning as it should or parts that appear broken and had been temporarily fixed. He reports any after-market parts that are installed. He estimates how much life remains on things like tires and battery.
He verifies without doubt whether the vehicle had been in an accident. He does that and so much more for $99, and along with the report he sends as many pictures as necessary to support the report (15-30 or so).
Jim does not receive payment until he has completed the inspection and is ready with the report. To top it all, he gave me a 10% discount on each inspection after the first one.
If I had not finally located the car I liked, I would have continued using KarChek for as long as it takes because that $99 was saving me thousands of dollars I would have paid to repair any of those BMW's that LOOKED nice but had problems I would not have discovered on my own.
I highly recommend Jim Shive of KarChek and would gladly refer my family and friends to him. He is not only a great professional auto inspector but also a great person of character.

Overall this was a very good experience. I did not know what to expect as I simply found his website online and could not find any reviews outside his site. I felt Jim went out of his way to accommodate us and, with his diagnosis, very much helped us make a decision on the car. We decided to purchase this car knowing exacty what needed immediate fixing and what needed attention in the near future which helped us negotiate the price. He was very pleasant and won our confidence with his demeanor and professionalism. He was also trusting of us as we scrambled on a Saturday afternoon to get a cashiers check from a nearby bank to pay for the car while the car as making a hasty return to Vashon Island to a credit union where we needed to be before 2pm. He waited for me to come back to pay him (I had left before he returned from the test drive with my son.) and I almost literally did a drive-thru to where he was standing by the curb. I quickly thanked him and tossed the money to him so we would not be late to catch the ferry leaving in only two minutes! We missed the ferry by about only 30 seconds.

Wow - I can't believe I didn't use this service the last time I bought a used car from a private owner. It would have saved me $1900!!! Private sellers don't want (or need, with desirable cars) to arrange for your shop to inspect their car; the logistics are a nightmare. To have a consummate professional who has been in the auto inspection business for years show up and do a very thorough inspection for $99 is a no-brainier. I watched and asked questions and learned a ton as he went through every system in the car, inside and outside. Then we went for a test drive and discovered a pulsation and steering wheel wobble on high speed braking - which he (unlike me) could immediately diagnose (warped brake rotors.) He even did a compression check! When he was done I had exactly what I needed to negotiate to a fair price with the seller - no *explicit* and no guessing. Unless you are a qualified mechanic yourself - USE THIS SERVICE!