Fresh TÜV: do I still need a used-car inspection?

What the periodic inspection contributes

The HU examines road safety, environmental compliance and compliance with regulations. Its result relates to the time of inspection. A recent report belongs among the documents you review before buying.

Ask for the complete report and read its date, vehicle details and recorded notes. The next HU date shown in an advertisement does not provide those details. Compare what the report records with the seller's information and what you observe during the viewing.

If the HU report is missing, ask the seller to contact the organisation that carried out the inspection about a duplicate. Who may request it and which documents are required depend on that organisation's rules. If the registered keeper has changed since the inspection, GTÜ also requires consent from the person in whose name the vehicle was registered at the time of that inspection.

Identify the questions that still matter to you

You may want to know which servicing is documented, whether a visible repair can be explained or how the car behaves while driving. These questions arise from your needs and the specific offer. A current HU is one piece of evidence to consider alongside them.

Review available servicing and repair records together with the HU report. Missing documents are a reason to ask further questions. Separate what is documented from what the seller has told you verbally and what remains unresolved.

• Which services and repairs are documented?
• Do the vehicle, mileage information and available records correspond?
• Which observation would you like assessed more closely before buying?

Choose additional checks for the open questions

A purchase inspection can assess accessible findings and available diagnostic information for your decision. Tell the inspector what you still need to understand and establish the actual scope. A technical question may require further workshop examination if it cannot be assessed sufficiently at the seller's location.

Our Mobile car check takes place at the agreed location with the seller. It covers accessible visual, functional and measurement checks, with OBD reading where possible. The standard scope includes neither a vehicle lift nor a test drive. The report records findings and limitations. See Car Check Plus for the extended scope.

Decide from the information you actually have

A new HU is no reason to leave your other questions unanswered. Nor does it mean that every car needs the same additional inspection. Choose according to the available information and which uncertainty matters to your purchase.

If an important question remains after the viewing and document review, agree a suitable next check before deciding to buy. A purchase inspection describes the examined condition and its limits; it does not promise freedom from later defects.