Do not price a project car from the hero photo. Confirm identity and paperwork, request the angles that expose rust and missing assemblies, price transport, then hold a contingency for everything the evidence cannot prove.
Garage checklist
- VIN, chassis or compliance plate
- Cold-start and running video
- Engine bay, floors, sills and underbody
- All loose parts laid out
- Paperwork and ownership evidence
- Transport quote
- Low, likely and high finish-cost estimate
Start with identity
Ask for clear photographs of the VIN, chassis stamp and compliance plate. Compare what is visible with the seller description, but record uncertain characters as uncertain. A photo is evidence, not proof that the vehicle is legally registrable.
Expose the expensive unknowns
Wide photos sell the dream. Close-ups of floors, sills, seams, mounts, wiring, cooling parts and incomplete assemblies reveal the work. Ask for a cold start and do not let a warm engine video stand in for it.
Budget the whole arrival
Add purchase price, transport, missing parts, first mechanical work, body work, specialist labour, tools and contingency. The maximum purchase price is the budget minus the likely finish cost, not the asking price you hope to negotiate.
Limits and safety
A remote checklist cannot confirm hidden rust, title, roadworthiness or structural safety. Use a qualified independent inspection where the risk matters.
Evidence and sources
- Australian Personal Property Securities Register vehicle search guidance
- Vehicle-specific workshop information and registration authority checks