KUALA LUMPUR: No one wants to buy a used car that's going to be problematic and become costly to repair. Having the car inspected by an authority - whether that's your own trusted mechanic or a specialist organisation - before signing on the dotted line is a prudent move.

Motorists now have a choice when it comes to used car inspection by specialist organisations. A Japanese outfit has just entered the local scene offering such a service that is already being done by Puspakom.

Car Credo is offering the Goo Kantei service, which carries out an inspection of used vehicles and rates them according to their condition.

The Japan-trained Goo Kantei inspector would take 20 mins and cover up to 344 points around the car, inside and under the vehicle. The entire inspection is said to be free from bias and is endorsed by the Japan Autombile Appraisal Association. After an inspection, the customer is issued a certificate with a star rating (up to five stars) so that he can easily see whether the car is worth buying. Car Credo said the certificate would include information on various aspects of the car and explanatory notes in simple language.



The Goo Kantei service is currently being promoted to used car dealers in the Klang Valley although individuals are also encouraged to use the service as well. Car Credo is offering the inspection at a promotional rate of RM130 from now until the end of November and this includes computer diagnostics and two free spots in print and online of the Motor Trader classifieds publication. The normal rate is RM120 and an optional RM60 for the computer diagnostics.

The service is expected to be rolled out beyond the Klang Valley at a later time.

Car Credo is a subsidiary of Proto Corporation, a Japanese company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.  In Japan, the service has been offered since 2006, with hundreds of thousands of vehicles having been certified nationwide.

"Used cars are a big business in Malaysia but until now, customers have been faced with uncertainty when they buy used cars because they are not sure of the condition," said Proto Malaysia managing director Kenya Ikutsu.

"Unless they are experts, they may not be able to detect issues taht may affect the value of the car, particularly safety.

"With Goo Kantei, the experts are from Japan who have special training and years of experience i inspecting used vehicles to evaluate the overall quality," he said, adding that used car certification provided invaluable information to a prospective buyer as well as peace of mind when deciding whether to buy the vehicle.


Also check out 2015 Puspakom Inspection Fees

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