Dealer Ratings By Metro

Ratings Versus Inspections

What An Inspection Catches That A Rating Can Not

A lot can earn great reviews and still sell you a car with a problem nobody has found yet. Here is what stars leave out and how to find it.

Call (951) 267-8500Check Your Metro
Scan tool screen showing a permanent fault code on a used Honda Accord
A permanent code stays stored even after the check engine light is cleared.

Written by Matthew Bolen, Owner, Wrench Services LLC, mobile mechanic and hybrid specialist, Rio Rancho NM. Author Source. Updated November 11, 2026.

Two Different Questions

A star rating answers one question. How did past buyers feel about this lot? An inspection answers another. What shape is this car in today? You need both, and one can never stand in for the other.

Across our 109 metros, 51% of rated lots hold 4.5 stars or more. Those lots still take in trade ins they know little about, and they still sell them.

What A Rating Can Not See

  • Stored and permanent fault codes. A cleared check engine light can come back days later. A full scan with readiness monitors shows when codes were wiped.
  • Frame and underbody damage. Rust, bent rails and past collision repairs show from below, not from the lot row.
  • Brake and tire wear. Measured pad, rotor and tread depth turn a guess into a number you can use in the deal.
  • How it drives. A road test catches slipping shifts, pulls and noises a parked car hides.
  • Odometer trouble. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that more than 450,000 vehicles are sold each year with false odometer readings.

Free Checks To Run First

Before you pay for anything, run the VIN through the NHTSA recall lookup and look for title brands with a site listed by the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System. Salvage, flood and junk brands should show up there.

What The PPI Auto Check Covers

The inspection covers 122 points for $225. It includes a full OBD II scan with readiness monitors, a road test, and tire and brake measurements, with photos of anything found. The inspector goes to the car, and the report comes the same day.

A problem found before the sale can be fixed by the seller, taken off the price, or be the reason you walk. The same problem found after an as is sale is usually yours. See a PPI Auto used car inspection for what the report includes.

Sources