New Car Delivery & Pre-Collection Inspection Guide

Conducting a pre-delivery inspection (PDI) when collecting your new car is a vital step in safeguarding your rights as a buyer. As vehicles can sustain minor scratches, dents, or other blemishes during transit and storage, it is strongly advised to carry out a comprehensive check before signing the final handover documents and completing the vehicle registration (JPJ/ownership transfer) process.

Core Inspection Checklist

To ensure a thorough and seamless inspection, follow these six essential steps:

Exterior Bodywork (Alignment & Paint) 

Panel Gaps & Alignment: Walk around the car and inspect the panel gaps around the doors, bonnet, boot lid, and bumpers. Ensure the gaps are uniform, symmetrical, and completely flush along the shutlines. 

Paintwork Check: Inspect the car under ample natural lighting. Use a torchlight at an angle to spot any swirl marks, stone chips, scratches, dings, paint mismatches, or signs of touch-up paint. 

Exterior Trim (Trim Pieces) 

Check all door weatherstripping seals, window chrome/black trims, and side mirror housings to ensure they are securely fitted and free from discolouration, warping, or damage.

Glass & Lighting (Glass & Lighting) 

Glass: Thoroughly check the windscreen, rear screen, and all side windows for hairline cracks, chips, or deep scratches.

Lighting: Get your sales advisor (SA) to assist in testing all exterior lighting — headlights (low and high beams), daytime running lights (DRLs), tail lamps, brake lights, sequential/turn indicators, reverse lights, and hazard lights. Ensure there are no cracked lenses or condensation/water ingress inside the housings. 

Wheels & Tyres (Wheels & Tires)

Check the alloy wheels for kerb rash, scratches, or manufacturing defects.

Inspect the tyre sidewalls for bulges, cracks, or uneven tread. Ensure the tool kit, jack, spare wheel (if equipped), or tyre repair kit (TRK) are all present in the boot. 

Cabin & Interior (Interior) 

Check all leather or fabric upholstery for tears, scuffs, stains, or loose stitching.

Examine the dashboard trim panels, centre console, carpet mats, and headlining for scratches, water marks, or misaligned fittings. 

Electronics & In-Car Features (Electronics & Systems) 

Test all electronic accessories: air conditioning (cooling performance and blower speeds), infotainment touchscreen response, sound system, power windows, sunroof/moonroof, power-adjustable seats, and seat ventilation/heating (if fitted). 

Verify that the wipers, washer jets, horn, and multi-function steering wheel buttons are working properly.

Important Tips & Risk Mitigation

Agreement Terms: Prior to signing the sales agreement, request to add an "inspect before JPJ registration" clause. This gives you far greater leverage should any significant defects be discovered prior to ownership transfer.

Photo & Video Documentation: If you notice any defects or blemishes, immediately point them out to your sales advisor and take clear photos or videos as proof to ensure proper rectification or touch-up before acceptance.

Spec & Accessory Verification: Cross-check the car against your Vehicle Sales Order (VSO) to confirm that all specified optional accessories and free gifts (such as spare smart keys, owner's manual, tinted film, premium floor mats, dashcam, etc.) are installed and accounted for.

Short Test Drive: If the dealership permits, take the car for a quick low-speed spin around the compound. Listen out for unusual undercarriage/suspension noises, check if the transmission shifts seamlessly, and ensure the steering tracks straight without pulling to one side.

Conducting a meticulous static inspection paired with a brief dynamic check will significantly reduce the risk of post-delivery disputes, ensuring your new ride is handed over in pristine condition.