Lemon Squad Auto Inspections Reviews (%countItem)
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Lemon Squad Auto Inspections Rating
Address: PO Box 825, Pequot Lakes, Minnesota, United States, 56472
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I only have the best things to say about Lemon Squad.
They are very professional, timely and will go above and beyond. They saved me over $10k on a "LEMON". Thanks Lemon Squad.
I want to share my positive experience with Lemon Squad. I paid them to inspect and appraise a 1981 Jeep. Their inspection discovered the vehicle was in bad condition. Andy, the business owner, called me to explain the details of the report. The inspection was completed in a timely manner. I had purchased an inspection and an appraisal. Upon seeing the poor condition of the vehicle, they offered to skip the appraisal and refunded that portion of their fee. I would strongly recommend using their service. The fee for the inspection saved me more money by not buying the vehicle.
Positive experience with quick turn around at a reasonable cost. Truck was a disaster with major frame damage [rusted through, pieces missing]. These guys saved me thousands of dollars. I wouldn't consider ever buying another used car without their detailed pictures and report, its everything the used car dealer is trying to hide from you. Not me this time. A++
I am a car collector/restorer who purchases cars all over the US. I've used Lemon squad about a dozen times over the past two years for family cars (mostly late model BMWs) and collector cars of all types. I send them out even when a car is within driving distance so I don't waste my time looking at something I don't want. The service is personal, courteous and professional; the inspections are prompt and thorough; and the inspectors are both highly capable and responsive to special requests or questions. Most importantly, the inspections have been dead-on accurate, always pointing out the things that the sellers don't want me to see. For example, some dealers, even new-car BMW dealers, will clear error codes and check-engine lights in an effort to sell a car that needs work. One recent Lemon Squad inspection caught that codes had been reset, helping me avoid a purchase mistake that could have cot me several thousand dollars. In several cases, these inspections discovered that what sellers represent as "perfect" or "rust free" collector cars turned out to be over-priced junk potentially worth tens of thousands of dollars less than the asking price. And the photographs that are provided with the inspections really are worth 1,000 words each. One dealer selling a premium late model BMW actually put tape on the passenger side mirror rather than paint and replace the broken cover. I never would have seen that if it weren't for the pictures. Whether you are buying a car that is just a few years old, something a little older, or a 60's or 70's classic, making the small investment to get the car inspected is an absolute requirement. And when it comes to inspection, Lemon Squad is among the best of the best.
These guys were great! I had a scheduled inspection for Friday but the mechanic had to reschedule until Saturday. Normally they are closed for the weekend but they processed the assessment anyway and I had it overnight. They also answered a ton of questions that I had related to the report.
So, l was looking into a Subaru that looked like a great deal! From far away... Ran the vin through Autocheck and everything came through just fine for the most part. Then my Lemon Squad Inspector showed up and ran an incredibly detailed inspection and wrote a thorough report with 113 pictures of every corner of the vehicle. As it turns out, this vehicle (which I would've had to drive 6 hours to go purchase and back) had a problem with the head gasket. If you know anything about Subies that is a deal breaker. All told with parts and labor, these guys saved me over $3,300 in parts and labor for that issue and some others my inspector found. Thank you Lemon Squad! You have a lifetime client in me. Now I move onto looking into my next vehicle. And you know where the inspector that's gonna check that one out is gonna come from right? You guessed it. LEMON SQUAD!
I ordered a vintage car inspection for a 1973 Corvette from Lemon Squad after seeing their website example of a 1966 Corvette. I figured they knew Corvettes. I alerted them to my suspicion that the right front fender may not be original and worried about any accidents the car may have been in. The inspection occurred on Nov 13, and I received a written report from them on Nov14. The report stated, "The right fender does look original." Further goes on to say, "The body shows no signs of prior impact". Fortunately I had asked them for pictures of the front ball joints. The inspector had to get down under the car to take those pictures. In those pictures, one can clearly see the front clip of this car was replaced with an aftermarket one-piece non-GM front end. It has different colored fiberglass. The fiberglass was hand-laid not press molded, and the maker had attached a sticker to the underside, something GM doesn't do. I immediately called Lemon Squad to complain. I spoke to Angel. I asked her to look at photo number 106 and tell me the color of the fiberglass in that picture. She said green. I explained that GM fiberglass is grey, press molded and would be reinforced with bonding strips. She agreed and said, "our inspectors are not perfect". She also said if I wish to file a compliant, I could do so via their message board. I did. Later that day, I received a phone call from Andy the owner (ph XXX-XXX-XXXX, 2:18pm on Nov 14 Brainerd MN). Andy admitted their inspector missed the replacement front clip and the serious accident which required the replacement of the front clip. I explained this was a very serious "miss". Andy began getting vulgar on the phone with me and I hung up. I 'm asking for a full refund of my $249. I'm a Professional Engineer in NY and can attest that this account is true.
The report that the customer is complaining about is attached. We found many issues with this car. Our inspector went above and beyond to try to get the car to start by putting gas down the carb and resetting the points to help get it running. The customer sent a message to us saying that we failed to mention that the fender was not factory, and that if he went to look at the vehicle after reading our report, he would have sued us for his time. I called him and told him what the inspector’s thoughts were on the fender in question. Both fenders looked identical and to him, it looked factory. If they weren’t identical, that would have helped. I never said to him that we missed any accident damage. I never used vulgar words with him. What I did do was hang up on him since it may have led to more heated words. During the conversation, the customer was giggling the whole time in a weird condescending kind of way. I told him I found nothing funny and was trying to help him. 2 people from our office have called him today to see if we could talk to him but he will not answer or return our calls. The inspector that did the inspection is an ASE Master Tech. I can see that he has looked at over 150 classic Corvettes for us with no complaints. He has looked at close to 7000 cars for us. This was a below average vehicle that had a lot of issues with it. Most of our customers would not have bought it regardless of the originally of the fenders. All this customer could do was leave a rude message, giggle when we tried to help him, and then get mad when we wouldn’t put up with his behavior. As far as his final comment on the complaint about him being a professional engineer and he can attest that his account is true, I’m not sure what that has to do with anything. We wish him luck and success finding the right car for him.
I am rejecting this response because: Andy, the owner of Lemon Squad failed to mention what he stated on the phone with me on Nov14. Andy said, "the inspector had no Corvette or fiberglass experience and missed the aftermarket front end. This was evident in his report and failure to recognize original GM fiberglass panels. The fender and hood misalignment were also dead giveaways. The inspector had my phone number and could have easily called me during the inspection....I guess Andy doesn't want me talking to his inspectors. If Andy or his inspector knew anything about vintage cars, the replacement aftermarket front end, as the result of a serious front end accident, depreciates the car's value dramatically. Andy can dance around the issues all he wants, but the truth is, his inspector totally blew this vintage car inspection.
Lemon Squad saved me from an absolute nightmare! It was going to be a $14,500 mistake. WELL worth the fee to have it checked out first. This is the company I will be using from now on!
Very helpful and greatful for the time and detailed evaluation on a vehicle I am looking at 5 and a half hours away. They have given me close to 75 pictures, notations on the problems with the car and a rating on the car. Well worth the money to have a certified are mechanic look before making the drive. Thanks again and will use in the future.
I've used this service twice. Friendly, fast. Saved me from two bad car purchases. Highly recommend. Especially if the vehicle not near you.
Thank you Lemon Squad!!! I order my inspection 11/14/17 and they had my inspection completed 11/17/17. It doesn't seem to matter where your car is located, Lemon Squad will be there to inspect your car. The report was very detailed, showing photos from every angle from the undercarriage to the engine compartment and interior including fine scratches and chip marks. The money I spent was well worth it since I live several hundred miles away from the car dealer.
Do NOT use this company!! Their inspector WRECKED THE VEHICLE I was purchasing during the inspection process and not only did he and/or the company review department (Andy, I believe), lie about the incident on the written report, they also refused to file an insurance claim or pay in full for the damage. Each company person I spoke with refused to give me their last name (stated I didn't need to know it) and their position or title. They were confrontational, unapologetic, angry sounding, and unwilling to properly resolve this issue. They eventually directed me to their attorney. I have never been involved with a more unprofessional, bullying group of people. I was police officer for 10 years and am a business professional and former business owner myself. Their behavior toward me, and other customers as evidenced by the other negative reviews on this site, is abhorrent and unacceptable on many levels. Save your money and run as fast as you can.
The vehicle was not wrecked during the inspection. The inspector bumped into a tree while he was backing up the vehicle and bent the bumper. The inspector put in the report exactly what happened. The inspector offered his insurance info to the dealership to pay for the damage and the dealership told our inspector that because the damage was so minor, it wasn't necessary. In the meantime, you purchased the vehicle, before it was repaired knowing, the damage that was done. Andy stated that he would pay for the repair and you sent an email giving him a deadline to make payment and when he called to talk to you about this, you hung up on him before he could even get anything out. In 15 years of providing excellent service to our customers, this is the first time this has ever happened. This would have been much easier to deal with if your seller, the owner of the vehicle when we looked at, didn't tell the inspector that his insurance info wasn't needed because the damage was so minor. Unfortunately you treated us so poorly that you left us with no choice other than to have you deal with our Attorney directly.
I was interested in a vehicle in Florida so I called the dealer to find out the condition of it.They said everything was great and there were no issue.When I asked if I could speak with the previous owner about it they said I could not and said to check the car fax which showed nothing wrong so I called Lemon Squad to check it out. I was so happy I did. The vehicle had a lot of hidden problems. Don't just trust car fax, call Lemon Squad.
This was my first pre-purchase inspection of a vehicle and it was the best money I have ever spent. I live in the mid-Atlantic and the car was down South. Lemon Squad was prompt with their communication and updates. The owner of Lemon Squad, Andy, an ASE Certified Master Mechanic, reviewed and compiled the report from his detailed field inspector.
The total process took 2 days, with a rescheduling due to heavy rains (completely understandable).
The car was marketed to me as Certified Pre-Owned. I would just like to take this opportunity to explain what that means to anyone interested in purchasing a CPO vehicle. These programs are offered by the manufacturer, but despite what most people believe, the inspections each program touts are performed by the dealer. In many instances, dealers pick and choose what to repair before they report the vehicle certified to the manufacturer.
In my case, it appears the "inspection" was nothing more than a quick glance at the vehicle. Andy called me to explain the details as soon as the report was complete. The overall grade was a C-, on a CPO vehicle. Most people would never believe it. It just goes to show you how easy it is to hide things when selling online. Techniques like selective photograph angles and sales pitches such as, "Every vehicle we sell on the lot is certified pre-owned."
It turns out that the paint repair and bodywork performed on the vehicle was so egregious that the inspector's paint meter could not even produce a reading! That means there was layers and layers of Bondo (body filler) and minimal paint present. Andy explained any lay person would be able to see the abysmal body work and poor paint issues such as the "orange peel" effect.
The plentiful pictures with helpful paper arrows to draw your attention really drove the inspector's report home. I would NEVER buy a car with paint work this poor.
To boot, when I called the dealer to say I will not be purchasing the vehicle, the salesman hung up on my as soon as I uttered, "I will not be purchasing the vehicle."
Lesson Learned Today: ALWAYS bring a CPO vehicle to your mechanic or hire Lemon Squad and Andy's expertise. I would be facing major body work repairs which are not cheap. Assuming a CPO vehicle has been through a complete inspection sets you up for a potential world of hurt financially. It is worth the $50 at your mechanic or Lemon Squad's price for an expert review.
The sense of relief I feel is all thanks to Andy, Inspector Bob, and Lemon Squad, thanks a million!
I ordered an inspection from Lemon Squad of a pickup truck being sold by a dealer in Ohio, and knowing that rust is an issue in northern climates where deicing of roads is required, I specifically requested confirmation of any rust or frame rot underneath of the vehicle. Lemon Squad not only provided me a great summary listing of all problems with the truck, but it's inspector also obtained 156 photos from all different angles, inside and out, top and underneath, which confirmed the vehicle has substantial rust and frame rot. As easy as my decision would have been to make by just reviewing these photos with the report summary, it was made even easier and quicker because the owner of Lemon Squad called me when the report was available online (less than 24 hours after I put in my order, impressive!) to review with me the photos that addressed my request about the condition of the frame. I am very grateful to Lemon Squad and thoroughness of its inspector. Lemon Squad will definitely get my business again, and I will undoubtedly recommend this company to anyone who may need such services.
I paid for a vehicle pre-purchase inspection (PPI) on a 2014 R8 V10 plus manual with an original MSRP of $182k. The PPI was intended to provide insight on the condition of the vehicle to further negotiate the price or pass on the vehicle, as I reside in Hawaii and the vehicle was located in Kentucky. The PPI report failed to mention many imperfections that are costly to repair and misguided me in my demand for this particular vehicle. The imperfections emailed to Lemon Squad (LS) on 10/18/2017 were accompanied with supporting pictures. After seeing the vehicle in person, many issues can now be matched back to the pictures provided in the PPI report. However, none of these issues were noted in the report.
- missing floor jack and air compressor
- large holes in the carpet floor mats
- significant wear on the hand brake lever
- significant number of dimples to the metal shift *** most likely from someone wearing a wedding ring while shifting
- many small cuts in the leather trims down to the base material
- chip in the carbon fiber center console
- curb rash on rear passenger side wheel
- slight belt squeal coming from engine compartment
LS replied that they are not willing to fix the situation and stated the above items are not important on a PPI, yet their advertisement at the link below clearly states inspection of "condition of tires and wheels" and "Thorough check of interior--including upholstery, mats, headliner, and seat belts".
http://lemonsquad.com/used-car-inspections/expert
The company also stated in their email reply that they have a 14 day policy from the inspection date time period to let us know if there are any issues you feel we may have missed. This vehicle was shipped from Kentucky to Hawaii, and it would have been nearly impossible to see the vehicle in person to provide a claim within 14 days. I received the vehicle on 10/17/2017 and have the supporting paper work.
This gentleman purchased a used vehicle with what we would consider to be normal wear and tear for 35,000 miles. His expectations were not realistic for what a vehicle with 35,000 miles should have for wear and tear. He is expecting the vehicle to be like new and it wasn't. It was in very good condition. The terms and conditions that he agreed to when he placed his order show that he has 14 days from from the day he receives his report to let us know of any issues that he has with the vehicle. We looked at this vehicle one month and one week ago. Even if he had contacted us within that 14 day window, these items were not missed. This is normal wear and tear for a used 35,000 mile vehicle. We focus our inspection on looking for major flaws with the vehicle, such as flood damage, accident damage, engine and transmission issues, sellers trying to hide things, etc. If he wanted us to spend less time on those things and more time on cosmetic issues, that were extremely minor and normal for mileage, he should have let us know that.
I did not have pre-determined expectations for the vehicle, as a 10k mile vehicle can be in significantly worse condition than a 35k mile vehicle, and a 50k mile vehicle can be in better condition than both vehicles. It depends on how the vehicle was used and cared for. If all vehicles were in the same condition at the same ages and mileages, there would be no need for 3rd party inspections. Too many variables in vehicle ownership exist.
The purpose of an inspection is to bring attention to any issues found, so that the purchaser may make an informed decision on their own behalf. The purchaser is not expecting the inspector to make decisions for the purchaser without consulting them nor simply deciding not to notify them of defects altogether.
Text from the LS website states:
“Expert Inspection Includes
-Thorough check of interior--including upholstery, mats, headliner, and seat belts
-We'll address any additional areas of concern that you identify”
Nowhere on the website does it state inspection services solely include looking for major flaws at the expense of attention to other areas of the inspection services advertised.
I also emailed LS to inspect the carbon fiber carefully as these are costly items to replace, yet the inspector stated “I did not see any visible defects in the carbon fiber parts and trim on this vehicle.” After receiving the vehicle, I can match carbon fiber defects to pictures provided by LS. Another example of gross negligence is one floor mat had two gaping holes worn through them, yet it was not disclosed on the report.
LS’ 14 day policy doesn’t give refuge to liability from their negligence. Again, it is nearly impossible to ship the vehicle from Kentucky to Hawaii within 14 days. A response was provided in a reasonable time within the first 24 hours of vehicle delivery.
As of 10/20/2017, LS has denied online access to my account to limit availability of the information provided from their inspection.
Revdex.com received call from Lemon Squad indicating that it has reviewed Mr ***’s reply of 10/20, and remains firm in its position.
My husband and I needed to find a third party inspection service to use to check out a commercial vehicle for us. After searching Google, we found the Lemon Squad and after speaking to a representative about the services, we went ahead and purchased the service with an additional component added. The inspection was done, as described, and within 2 business days. The additional component we purchased was not needed and a refund was processed for us without us having to contact the company! Service like this is truly hard to come by and we're certainly thankful that we found the Lemon Squad. My husband and I would certainly recommend this service to anyone looking to purchase a vehicle.
Lemon Squad just saved me from paying $30k+ plus for a rusty vehicle that seemed perfect on the outside. Prompt and thorough. I highly recommend them!
Beyond excellence... This small and family owned company's professionalism and dedication is astounding. Twice I have used this company and twice they have saved me from buying a lemon. It is apparent that they do take their time to do a complete inspection of the vehicles. As a moving business owner myself, I am glad that I can trust this company to inspect all of my vehicles before buying them. Buying a used vehicle without having it inspected is ridiculous... buying a used vehicle without having the Lemon Squad inspect it for you... is simply dumb!
Dear Lemon Squad Team, I just wanted to say thank you for everything! I have been trying to find and buy a car for the past 6 weeks. I was looking for a car from the south that would not be exposed to salt/calcium chloride on the roads (rust!!). This meant I had to travel (fly) to see the car(s), as I am from New England. Lemon Squad was awesome! They coordinated for a mechanic to be onsite to go over the car with meticulous detail. The first car did not meet expectations; so I had to conduct more than 1 Lemon Squad inspection. The same mechanic did both inspections. I ended up buying the second car the mechanic inspected. Thanks to Lemon Squad, the whole process was a HUGE success! I highly recommend this service to anyone buying a used vehicle. Lemon squad is awesome and well worth the money! :)