RedBook Inspect vs Aussie Auto Care: A Factual Comparison
RedBook Inspect vs Aussie Auto Care compared: packages, published prices, surcharges, road tests and inclusions, as checked 29 Oct 2026. Check both sites.
RedBook Inspect is a national mobile inspection service that describes itself as "proudly part of carsales". Aussie Auto Care is an independent mobile inspector covering Sydney and four NSW regions. As checked on 29 October 2026, RedBook lists three packages from $199, $299 and $599 plus age and prestige surcharges. We list four flat-priced packages: $199, $329, $449 and Ute, Van & Light Truck $329. Scope differs package by package, so compare inclusions, not just prices.
Ute, Van & Light Truck
RedBook Inspect prices and inclusions below were checked on redbookinspect.com.au on 29 October 2026. Prices and inclusions can change, so check both sites before you book.
The packages side by side
RedBook Inspect (as checked 29 Oct 2026)
From RedBook's pre-purchase and car pages (RedBook Inspect, pre-purchase; RedBook Inspect, car packages):
| Package | Listed price | Published inclusions | Road test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | From $199 ("Price varies by vehicle") | General road performance and safety; engine/motor, tyres and wheels general condition; verification of vehicle information | 1–3 km |
| Standard | From $299 ("Price varies by vehicle") | Everything in Lite, plus a visual check of the interior, exterior and damage repairs; a post-inspection phone call with the inspector; a carsales vehicle history report | 3–5 km |
| Ultimate | From $599 ("Price varies by vehicle") | Everything in Standard, plus priority booking (advertised as a 36-hour turnaround, on a best-efforts basis); video of engine start and idle; walkthrough videos of the interior, exterior, engine bay and key findings | 5–7 km |
RedBook's car page FAQ describes Standard as covering the engine bay, bodywork, interior and underbody, signs of previous damage and "diagnostic scans (where compatible)". It describes the carsales vehicle history report as checking written-off and stolen status, finance, reported odometer rollbacks, registration and warranty period, and says the report needs a valid, identifiable VIN (RedBook Inspect).
Vehicle surcharges listed by RedBook for all three packages: 5+ years old $24, 10+ years old $39, 15+ years old $49, 20+ years old $54, 25+ years old $79, prestige vehicle $150, hyper vehicle $300 (RedBook Inspect). RedBook's surcharge article says older vehicles typically need more time and attention, and that the booking system shows the total, including any surcharge, before checkout (RedBook Inspect, vehicle surcharges).
Add-ons and other services: an EV Battery Health Test that can be added at checkout to Standard or Ultimate in NSW, VIC, QLD and WA. Its price isn't shown on the page we checked (RedBook Inspect, EV inspection). RedBook also offers a Remote Video Assessment by video call (RedBook Inspect).
Other published details: RedBook says inspections typically take 60 to 90 minutes, reports are sent digitally by email, and its packages are subject to exclusions set out in its terms (RedBook Inspect; Terms of Service). We couldn't find a published checkpoint count, so we don't quote one.
Aussie Auto Care
From our own package pages (Essential, Comprehensive, Elite, Ute, Van & Light Truck, EV/Hybrid Battery Test):
| Package | Price | Main inclusions | Road test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | $199 | 150+ Point Checklist; full OBD-II scan; battery, starter and alternator tests; engine bay and leak check; brake pad and tyre tread measured; visual safety check. No PPSR, no paint check | 3–5 km |
| Comprehensive | $329 | Everything in Essential, plus a full mechanical inspection, full electrical test, every suspension bush and mount, undertray removed where fitted, safely accessible and permitted, underbody photos, exterior paint and body repair indicators, odometer rollback check where the scanner supports the vehicle, full PPSR, estimated repair costs and an on-site report | 6–10 km |
| Elite Buyers' Protection | $449 | Everything in Comprehensive, plus a senior inspector, a cold-start engine assessment when the seller leaves the engine cold, a paint thickness gauge on every panel, an advanced history deep-dive, a market valuation, on-site negotiation and up to $3,000 cover for 30 days or 1,000 km, whichever comes first, from inspection (Terms apply) | 10–12 km |
| Ute, Van & Light Truck | $329 (up to 4.5 t GVM) | Everything in Comprehensive, including PPSR and exterior paint and body repair indicators, plus chassis integrity, DPF regen and soot readings via OBD, tow rating verification, and a diff, transfer case and 4WD low-range test | 5–10 km (loaded if possible) |
| EV/Hybrid Battery Test | +$199 add-on | State of Health estimate, usable energy, cell voltage spread and a high-voltage fault scan where supported. Not included in any package | — |
Our prices don't change with the age or badge of the car. No travel charges, the quoted price is the price, in every region we cover. We cover Greater Sydney, Newcastle/Maitland, the Central Coast, the Blue Mountains and Wollongong/Illawarra. See our pricing page.
How do the prices compare?
These are the published starting prices and surcharges only. The packages aren't identical in scope, so a cheaper price isn't automatically better value, and the reverse is also true.
| Your car | RedBook Lite | Our Essential | RedBook Standard | Our Comprehensive | RedBook Ultimate | Our Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5 years old, not prestige | from $199 | $199 | from $299 | $329 | from $599 | $449 |
| 5+ years old, not prestige | from $223 | $199 | from $323 | $329 | from $623 | $449 |
| 10+ years old, not prestige | from $238 | $199 | from $338 | $329 | from $638 | $449 |
| Under 5 years old, prestige | from $349 | $199 | from $449 | $329 | from $749 | $449 |
How we worked these out: RedBook's starting price plus the single age surcharge for that bracket, plus the $150 prestige surcharge where shown, using RedBook's list as checked on 29 October 2026. We've assumed one age surcharge applies per vehicle. RedBook's booking flow shows the exact total before checkout, so confirm there.
What the numbers show, exactly:
On a non-prestige car under 5 years old, RedBook Standard starts $30 below our Comprehensive. RedBook Lite and our Essential both start at $199.
Essential
$199Afterpayor 4 interest-free payments of A$49.75On a non-prestige car 5 to 9 years old, RedBook Standard starts at $323 against our Comprehensive at $329.
Comprehensive
$329Save $33$296with code SAVE10
Afterpayor 4 interest-free payments of A$74.00On a non-prestige car 10 or more years old, RedBook Standard starts at $338 against our Comprehensive at $329.
Comprehensive
$329Save $33$296with code SAVE10
Afterpayor 4 interest-free payments of A$74.00At the top tier, RedBook Ultimate starts at $599 and our Elite is $449 on any car. The two top packages include different things (see below).
Elite Buyers' Protection
$449Afterpayor 4 interest-free payments of A$112.25
What's different in scope?
Being fair to both:
RedBook Inspect publishes, and we don't offer:
A national footprint, including Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and regional areas (RedBook Inspect). We cover Sydney and four NSW regions only.
A Remote Video Assessment by video call.
A carsales vehicle history report on Standard and Ultimate.
Engine start and walkthrough videos on Ultimate. (Our Comprehensive and Elite pages also list customer videos.)
Priority booking on Ultimate.
We publish, and RedBook's package pages don't list:
A published checkpoint count: the 150+ Point Checklist on every package.
A full OBD-II scan on every package, including Essential. (RedBook's FAQ mentions diagnostic scans "where compatible" on Standard.)
A PPSR report on Comprehensive, Ute, Van & Light Truck and Elite. (RedBook's carsales history report includes a finance check, so compare the two reports' contents if this matters to you.)
Longer road tests: 6–10 km on Comprehensive and 10–12 km on Elite.
A paint thickness gauge on every panel, on-site negotiation and up to $3,000 cover for 30 days or 1,000 km, whichever comes first, from inspection (Terms apply) on Elite.
A dedicated Ute, Van & Light Truck package for utes, vans and light trucks up to 4.5 t GVM.
Flat pricing that doesn't change with age or prestige status.
Both offer: mobile inspections at the car, a post-inspection phone call, and an EV battery test as an add-on. RedBook offers its battery test with Standard or Ultimate; ours is a +$199 add-on to any package and isn't included in any package.
Neither is a warranty. Both providers publish exclusions. No mobile inspection can see inside an engine or guarantee against an intermittent fault that doesn't show on the day. Read both sets of terms.
Which should you choose?
RedBook Inspect may suit you if you're outside our five regions, you want the carsales history report and video walkthroughs, you want a remote video assessment, or you're buying a newer non-prestige car where the Standard package's starting price is lower than our Comprehensive.
Aussie Auto Care may suit you if you're in Greater Sydney, Newcastle/Maitland, the Central Coast, the Blue Mountains or Wollongong/Illawarra; the car is older or prestige; you want an OBD-II scan and PPSR as standard on Comprehensive; you're buying a ute or light truck; or you want on-site negotiation and repair cover with Elite.
Booking through the NRMA? RedBook's NRMA page says "NRMA has partnered with RedBook Inspect" to give members discounted pre-purchase inspections, listing member prices of $189, $284 and $569 against from-prices of $199, $299 and $599 (RedBook Inspect, NRMA). See our NRMA inspection comparison. For the wider picture, read RedBook Inspect vs an independent pre-purchase inspection.
Compare the inclusions, then book the one that fits your car Comprehensive ($329): the 150+ Point Checklist, full OBD-II scan, full mechanical inspection, underbody photos (undertray removed where fitted, safe and permitted), exterior paint and body repair indicators, a 6–10 km road test, PPSR and an on-site report. Elite Buyers' Protection ($449): a senior inspector, cold-start assessment when the seller leaves the engine cold, a paint thickness gauge on every panel, a valuation, on-site negotiation and up to $3,000 cover for 30 days or 1,000 km, whichever comes first, from inspection (Terms apply). Ute, Van & Light Truck ($329) for utes up to 4.5 t GVM. No travel charges, the quoted price is the price, in every region we cover. Afterpay available. Book now → · Call 02 8320 1246 · Pricing · About Aussie Auto Care · How our inspection works
Comprehensive
$329Save $33$296with code SAVE10
Afterpayor 4 interest-free payments of A$74.00Elite Buyers' Protection
$449Afterpayor 4 interest-free payments of A$112.25Ute, Van & Light Truck
$329Afterpayor 4 interest-free payments of A$82.25
Frequently asked questions
As checked on 29 October 2026, RedBook lists Lite from $199, Standard from $299 and Ultimate from $599, and says price varies by vehicle. It lists surcharges from $24 (5+ years) to $79 (25+ years), plus $150 for a prestige vehicle and $300 for a hyper vehicle. Its booking flow shows the total before checkout. Prices can change, so check redbookinspect.com.au.
It depends on the car and the package. Using published prices checked 29 October 2026, RedBook Standard starts $30 below our Comprehensive on a non-prestige car under 5 years old, and $9 above it on a non-prestige car 10 or more years old once the age surcharge is added. Our Elite ($449) is below RedBook Ultimate's starting price ($599), but the packages include different things.
Elite Buyers' Protection
RedBook's Standard and Ultimate packages include a carsales vehicle history report, which RedBook says checks written-off and stolen status, finance, reported odometer rollbacks, registration and warranty period. Our Comprehensive, Ute, Van & Light Truck and Elite packages include a PPSR report; Essential doesn't. Compare what each report shows if finance status is your main concern.
RedBook lists 1–3 km on Lite, 3–5 km on Standard and 5–7 km on Ultimate. Ours are 3–5 km on Essential, 6–10 km on Comprehensive, 10–12 km on Elite, and 5–10 km on Ute, Van & Light Truck (loaded if possible).
Yes. RedBook lists an EV Battery Health Test as a checkout add-on with Standard or Ultimate in NSW, VIC, QLD and WA, without a price on the page we checked. Our EV/Hybrid Battery Test is a +$199 add-on to any package and isn't included in any package. Both depend on the vehicle being supported.
RedBook says it covers most of Australia, naming Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and regional areas, and offers remote video assessments. We cover Greater Sydney, Newcastle/Maitland, the Central Coast, the Blue Mountains and Wollongong/Illawarra. No travel charges, the quoted price is the price, in every region we cover.
RedBook Inspect prices, surcharges and inclusions were checked on redbookinspect.com.au on 29 October 2026. Prices and inclusions can change at any time. Check both sites before you book.
Sources
RedBook Inspect, Pre-purchase inspections (packages, prices, surcharges; checked 29 Oct 2026): https://www.redbookinspect.com.au/prepurchase
RedBook Inspect, Car pre-purchase packages and FAQ (checked 29 Oct 2026): https://www.redbookinspect.com.au/prepurchase/car
RedBook Inspect, Vehicle surcharges for pre-purchase inspections (checked 29 Oct 2026): https://www.redbookinspect.com.au/articles/vehicle-surcharges-for-pre-purchase-inspections-redbook-inspect
RedBook Inspect, Electric vehicle inspection (checked 29 Oct 2026): https://www.redbookinspect.com.au/prepurchase/electric-vehicle-inspection
RedBook Inspect, NRMA car inspections (checked 29 Oct 2026): https://www.redbookinspect.com.au/nrma/car
RedBook Inspect, Terms of Service: https://www.redbookinspect.com.au/termsofservice
Aussie Auto Care, Essential Inspection: https://aussieautocare.com.au/essential-inspection
Aussie Auto Care, Comprehensive Inspection: https://aussieautocare.com.au/comprehensive-inspection
Aussie Auto Care, Elite Buyers' Protection: https://aussieautocare.com.au/elite-buyers-protection
Aussie Auto Care, Ute, Van & Light Truck: https://aussieautocare.com.au/light-truck
Aussie Auto Care, EV/Hybrid Battery Test: https://aussieautocare.com.au/ev-battery-inspection-sydney
Mobile inspections near you