Sprinter · Transit · ProMaster · cargo van inspection
Know what the van has been through before you pay for it.
An independent inspector goes over the van itself — body and prior repair, underbody and frame, drivetrain, steering, suspension, brakes, electrical items, an OBD-II scan, and a road test where the vehicle is street legal, insured, and conditions are safe — then sends a photo-documented report with a plain-English go, caution, or stop summary. From $249.
What to keep in mind when buying a used van
Vans are often bought on a listing and a phone call. These are the things an inspection and a few questions can settle before money moves.
A van is bought for what it was used for
Used vans can come out of delivery work, the trades, fleets, and camper builds, and a listing may not say which. An inspection shows the van’s condition today. It cannot reconstruct how hard it was used, so ask the seller for service records alongside it.
Look underneath, not just inside
A clean cargo area or fresh interior says little about the underbody. The inspection covers the underbody for rust, frame damage, and structural repair, plus the body and paint for signs of prior repair or respray.
Add-ons were installed by someone
Shelving, racks, partitions, and conversions may have been added after the van left the factory. Ask who did the work and when. The standard inspection covers the van’s own systems; see the note below on what it does not test.
What every van inspection covers
The same core inspection at every tier. The tiers differ by measurement depth, not by which systems get examined.
- Condition of the body and paint, including evidence of prior repair or respray
- Scratches, cracks, dents, and rust
- Underbody check for rust, frame damage, or structural repair
- Condition of tires and wheels, including tread depth
- Glass examined for cracks, chips, and other flaws
- Evidence of previous accident damage or flood damage
- Lights, A/C, gauges, and operation of all other electrical items
- Interior throughout — upholstery, mats, headliner, and seat belts
- Motor and transmission
- All driveline components, including 4-wheel and all-wheel-drive systems
- Steering, suspension, braking components, and exhaust system
- Visual inspection of the engine and everything else under the hood
- Fluid levels, oil leaks, and any missing parts
- OBD-II scan with any stored trouble codes (1996 and newer)
- Any additional areas of concern you identify when you book
- Road test evaluating the drivetrain — where the vehicle is street legal, insured, and weather conditions are safe
- Photo-documented PDF report with a plain-English go / caution / stop summary
Not part of the standard scope: testing a conversion’s propane, water, or shore-power systems. Those tests belong to the RV inspection, which is for travel trailers, fifth-wheels, and Class A, B, and C motorhomes — not vans.
Pick the tier by the van’s value
Vans are booked on the standard tiers, priced by vehicle value like any car or truck.
Bronze Inspection
Full multi-point inspection + photo report. Best for budget buyers.
The core inspection above, with a photo-documented report.
25+ documented photos
Book Bronze — $249Silver Inspection
Adds instrumented tests: battery load, brake measurement, A/C readings. Most popular.
- Battery load test (measured under load)
- Brake pad and rotor measurement
- A/C and heater temperature readings
25+ documented photos
Book Silver — $349Gold Inspection
Adds live OBD-II capture, electronics audit, paint-depth readings. For $50K+ and high-trim vehicles.
- Everything in Silver
- Extended road test with live OBD-II data capture
- Full electronics and infotainment audit
- Paint-depth readings panel by panel
25+ documented photos
Book Gold — $449Ask the seller before you book
- What was the van used for: delivery, trades, fleet, or a camper build?
- Are the service and maintenance records available?
- Who installed any shelving, racks, partitions, or conversion work, and when?
- Has it been in an accident, and is the title clean?
- Are there open recalls? Run the VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (nhtsa.gov/recalls) before you travel.
The answers do not change the inspection, but they tell you what to ask the inspector to look at hardest. The free used car checklist covers the walk-around you can do yourself.
Common questions
- Do you inspect Sprinter, Transit, ProMaster, and other cargo vans?
- Yes. Sprinters and cargo vans are booked as vehicles on the standard Bronze, Silver, or Gold tier, priced by vehicle value. Paste the listing or the seller’s address when you book.
- Which tier should I pick for a van?
- The core inspection is the same at every tier; the tiers are price bands by vehicle value. Bronze ($249) is the full multi-point inspection and photo report. Silver ($349) adds instrumented tests: battery load test, brake pad and rotor measurement, and A/C and heater temperature readings. Gold ($449) adds everything in Silver plus an extended road test with live OBD-II data capture, a full electronics and infotainment audit, and paint-depth readings, and is aimed at higher-value vehicles.
- What about a camper van or van conversion?
- Camper vans and van conversions are booked as vehicles on the same standard tiers. That inspection covers the van itself. It is not scoped to test a conversion’s propane, water, or shore-power systems. The RV inspection, which does test house systems, is for travel trailers, fifth-wheels, and Class A, B, and C motorhomes, not vans.
- Do you road-test the van?
- Yes, where the vehicle is street legal, insured, and conditions are safe. The road test evaluates the drivetrain. If it cannot be driven safely on the day, the report says so rather than assuming it is fine.
- Is this the same as the commercial or fleet inspection?
- No. Individual Sprinters and cargo vans are booked on the standard tiers described on this page. The commercial and fleet inspection is for box trucks, cab-and-chassis units, and multi-unit lots.
- When is my card charged?
- Your card is saved at booking and charged only after the inspection is completed.
Buying a travel trailer, fifth-wheel, or motorhome instead? See the RV inspection. Buying it in another state? The out-of-state buying inspection page covers sight-unseen purchases.
Book before you hand over the money.
Paste the listing link, pick the tier, and a vetted independent inspector goes over the van. Your card is saved at booking and charged only after the inspection is completed.
Book a van inspection