The 160-point check, and the four things that fail a vehicle
About 1 in 4 vehicles we inspect on intake is rejected and sent to auction, not offered here.
Who does it
the in-house mechanic — ช่างวิรัตน์ / Wirat, 20+ years, ex-Isuzu service — not a subcontractor — before any vehicle is offered for retail sale.
What the 160 points cover
| System | Points | What is checked |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 24 | compression, leak-down, oil condition, cold start, idle, smoke, cam-chain/belt |
| Driveline & clutch / torque converter | 18 | shift quality hot and cold, lock-up, diff and transfer-case on the road test |
| Chassis & structure | 20 | chassis-rail measurement both sides, spot-weld inspection, radiator-support and inner wings |
| Flood tell-tales | 12 | spare-wheel-well silt, wiring-loom high-water line, under-seat bracket corrosion, ECU replacement marks, seatbelt-webbing stain |
| Brakes & suspension | 20 | pad and disc life measured, lines, bushes, ball joints, leaf/coil condition, ride height |
| Steering | 8 | rack, pump, play, alignment on the road test |
| Electrical & ECU | 16 | scan for stored and pending codes, charging, all lamps, aircon output measured |
| Body & paint | 18 | coating-thickness gauge on every panel — a reading roughly double the factory figure is disclosed as repaint with the number |
| Glass, lights & tyres | 12 | chips, DOT age and brand match across the set, tread depth in mm |
| Interior & equipment | 8 | every switch, seat mechanism, second key, tools and jack present |
| Road test | 4 | at least 15 km including a highway on-ramp, a hard brake, and 4WD engagement where fitted |
| Total | 160 |
How paint depth is disclosed
Every panel is measured with a coating-thickness gauge. A factory panel reads around 0.10–0.13 mm; a reading roughly double that is disclosed as a repaint, with the actual number, on the listing.
How the odometer is verified
The reading is cross-checked against service-book stamps, tax-renewal inspection records, prior workshop invoices, and physical wear (pedal rubbers, seat bolster, steering wheel, gear knob). If nothing corroborates it, the listing says "could not verify" and gives a wear-based estimate.
The four findings that send a vehicle to auction, not to the lot
1 · Structural / chassis damage
a bent or repair-welded chassis rail, cut-and-shut, compromised crash structure
2 · Flood history
any credible evidence of submersion
3 · Engine or chassis number mismatch
numbers that do not match the registration book — the รถสวมทะเบียน risk
4 · An unrepairable safety defect
e.g. a cracked chassis, an airbag system that cannot be restored to function
One that failed — and where it went
A 2018 Ford Ranger double-cab, bought at auction in March. On the lift the right chassis rail measured 9 mm out and showed weld repair behind the rear axle — consistent with a heavy rear impact.
We did not straighten and sell it. It went to a dealer auction on 2 April, lot 214, and sold to the trade for ฿291,000. We lost ฿44,000 on it. That is what the 1-in-4 rejection rate costs, and why it is real.