Pre-Delivery Inspection for Imported Vehicles

Two inspections matter and they check different things. The one at origin verifies the vehicle is what was ordered; the one at arrival verifies it survived the journey. Running the same checklist twice wastes both.

At origin: verifying the specification

This is the inspection where finding a problem is cheap, because the vehicle has not yet been shipped. What it should cover:

1. Chassis and engine numbers against the order list, photographed. Everything downstream depends on this.
2. Specification against the order — engine, transmission, drive side, trim, colour, wheel and tyre size, seating configuration. Each item confirmed physically, not from the build sheet.
3. Optional equipment present and functioning. Air conditioning, audio, safety systems, any market-specific fitment.
4. Documentation pack present in the vehicle — manual, service book, keys, and a count of the keys.
5. Cosmetic condition photographed comprehensively, all four sides plus roof and interior. This set of photographs is what a transit damage claim is later argued from.
6. Functional check — engine starts, no warning lamps, all lights and wipers work, doors and windows operate.
7. Fluid levels and tyre pressures recorded.

The photographic record is the item most often skimped and most often needed. Without a dated set of origin photographs, any damage found at arrival becomes an argument rather than a claim.

At arrival: identifying transit damage

Different emphasis. The specification was verified at origin; what matters now is what changed.

• Compare against the origin photographs systematically rather than looking for damage in general. Differences are what you are looking for.
• Check the lashing points — vehicles are secured for sea transport, and over-tightened straps damage suspension components and bodywork at the anchor points.
• Look for salt and moisture ingress, particularly in vehicles shipped RoRo where exposure is greater. Check inside doors, in the boot, and at any body seam.
• Check the battery. Vehicles sit for weeks with parasitic drain, and a flat or damaged battery on arrival is normal rather than a defect. Planning for battery charging or replacement at arrival avoids treating it as a fault.
• Check for flat-spotted tyres after long stationary periods, which usually resolves after driving but alarms customers who do not expect it.
• Fluid leaks under the vehicle after it has stood.

Damage found at the port

The sequence matters, and the window is short:

1. Photograph before moving the vehicle, including its position and any surrounding evidence.
2. Note it on the delivery receipt before signing. A clean receipt signed at collection makes a later claim very difficult.
3. Notify the insurer and the carrier in writing immediately. Policies contain notification windows measured in days.
4. Arrange a survey if the policy requires one, before repair. Repairing first and claiming afterwards is the most common way a valid claim is lost.

Preparation before customer delivery

Separate from inspection, and worth doing consistently:

• Remove transit protection — plastic film, wheel covers, interior wrapping.
• Charge or replace the battery.
• Set tyre pressures to specification.
• Check and top fluids.
• Wash, including the underside if shipped RoRo, to remove salt.
• Set the clock and language, and pair any connectivity features.
• Confirm the fuel level is sufficient for the customer to reach a station.

These are small items, and collectively they form the customer's first impression of the brand. A vehicle delivered with transit film still on the seats and a flat battery undoes a good deal of what the specification work achieved.

Recording it

Both inspections should produce a signed record retained against the chassis number. When a warranty claim arrives six months later, the question of whether a fault existed at delivery is answered by that record, and its absence usually means the claim is settled on goodwill rather than on fact.