Ride along with Josh on real inspections across Oregon — walkthroughs, field finds, and what to look for before you buy. New videos are added regularly.
From the Field
Real inspections, real findings. Job stories, video walkarounds, and our podcast — a look at what a pre-purchase inspection actually catches before the money moves.
Before You Buy — the podcast
Episode 2 — The Truck That Looked Straight
A Mazda B2300 that drove straight and braked strong — with a bed crossmember rusted clean through. Willow and Scout (yes, Scout) walk through what a test drive can’t tell you. Plus a 1988 BMW 635 CSi and an Audi SQ7 whose mileage records don’t agree.
Pilot — The SUV That Looked Fine
A 2004 Kia Sorento that scanned clean on top and was perforated underneath — plus the fault code that changed a van deal in Portland.
Latest inspections
2023 Audi SQ7 — When the Mileage Records Don’t Agree
On this 2023 Audi SQ7 inspected in Eugene, the mileage records didn’t all agree — the odometer, the listing, and the service records told different versions of the same number. An inspection can’t certify which record is correct, but it can put the conflict in writing while you can still ask about it. A mismatch doesn’t automatically mean a bad car. It does mean an unanswered question — and unanswered questions belong to the seller, not the buyer.
1988 BMW 635 CSi — Clean Structure, Corroded Exhaust. Both True.
This 1988 BMW 635 CSi in Canby had a genuinely clean structure — rocker panels, wheel arches, floor pans, and strut towers free of rust perforation, with factory undercoating intact and a glossy Luxor Beige finish. The mechanical half was another story: an exhaust corroded through at the muffler, heavy oil seepage under the engine, an illuminated SRS warning light, and tires from early 2019 that had aged out despite deep tread. The engine starts and idles steadily, and the car road-tested to highway pace. A classic gets priced on both halves — the inspection puts both in writing before you buy.
2008 Mazda B2300 — Straight Truck, Rusted-Through Crossmember
This 2008 Mazda B2300 in Eugene presented honestly — straight body panels, an engine that starts readily and runs smoothly, straight tracking, and strong brakes. Underneath told a different story: a bed support crossmember with advanced scaling rust and perforation, and flaking rust across the frame rails and crossmembers. The report also caught a clutch engaging at the very top of its pedal travel, a tire-pressure warning lamp staying on with stored faults, heat that only blows at the defrost vents, and one tire dating to 2013. None of that shows in a walk-around — all of it belongs in the price conversation, before the money moves.