The inspection path must follow the actual engine and transmission.
Define the decision
Confirm VIN and ownership first, then inspect structure, paint depth, glass dates, flood indicators, underside, tyres, brakes, suspension, cooling system, fluids and engine mounts.
Evidence to collect
Run a full-module diagnostic scan and a controlled road test. Turbo versions need boost, oil and cooling checks; DCT versions need cold and hot engagement testing; CVT and manual variants require their own checks.
Risk and export exposure
A smooth short drive does not exclude stored faults, overheating, clutch wear, previous flood exposure or repaired structure. Cosmetic condition should never overrule safety evidence.
Apply it to a candidate
Classify every finding as accept, repair, investigate or reject. Do not convert an unresolved structural, flood, identity or major drivetrain question into a discount assumption.
Build the VIN record
Create a dated folder named by VIN. Record vin and title, structure and flood, engine and cooling with source documents, photographs, diagnostic output or inspection results. Keep transmission behaviour, diagnostic scan, road test as named actions until the responsible reviewer closes them. A replacement vehicle starts a new file rather than inheriting another candidate's evidence.
Independent review
Assign each field to a reviewer with the relevant competence. Technical, legal, shipping and destination questions should not be answered by one general seller statement. If records conflict, preserve both versions and request the exact document, test or image that resolves the difference before payment.
Commercial hold points
Connect payment to evidence. Confirm identity before reservation, condition before final technical acceptance, contract wording before a major transfer and loading condition before handover. A changed VIN, beneficiary, delivery point or accepted exception reopens the relevant approval gate.
Arrival and ownership control
Freeze the odometer, warning state, keys, accessories, body condition and unresolved exceptions before loading. Compare the arrival vehicle with that record before cleaning or repair. Preserve evidence for claims and give the destination workshop the exact version, service and diagnostic baseline.
Set a rejection threshold before negotiation
Write which failures in vin and title, structure and flood, engine and cooling make the candidate unsuitable regardless of discount. Separate those from repairable findings and ordinary preferences. For every unresolved item, state the maximum acceptable cost, delay or destination consequence. This prevents an attractive price from gradually changing the buyer's original standard after inspection.
Test whether another reviewer can repeat the result
Give a second reviewer only the VIN file, not the seller's summary. They should be able to identify the candidate, locate the source behind transmission behaviour, diagnostic scan, road test, and explain why the current status is pass, hold or reject. If the result depends on an undocumented conversation, move that statement into a dated written record or leave it unconfirmed.
Write the approval result
Finish with pass, hold or reject. A hold must name the missing evidence, owner and deadline. Approval means the buyer understands the remaining limits; it does not turn an unknown into a confirmed feature or remove destination responsibility.
Record the evidence date and the person who reviewed it. If a candidate changes, repeat the affected checks instead of carrying an earlier approval to another VIN, model year or seller.
Inspect a Used Geely Coolray Before Export: checklist
Mark every item confirmed, unresolved or rejected and link its evidence to the candidate VIN.
- VIN and title
- Structure and flood
- Engine and cooling
- Transmission behaviour
- Diagnostic scan
- Road test
Match the test sequence to the fitted drivetrain
Confirm identity before interpreting diagnostic or road-test behaviour. A turbo-DCT candidate requires different observations from a naturally aspirated CVT or manual car. Preserve cold and hot results rather than accepting one short drive. Use the powertrain guide for test scope and the risk guide for symptom triage.
Buyer questions
What is the first inspection step?
Match the vehicle and VIN labels to legal records.
How should a DCT be tested?
Observe cold and hot engagement, creep, shifts, warnings and diagnostic data.
Does a clean dashboard prove no faults?
No. Scan all available modules and review warning history.