Sample Remote Check
A sample Remote Check report, made from our own car
Photos show less than you think, and a phone call shows less than a visit. So before you book a Remote Check, here's what you get back.
There's no dealer in this sample. The car is our own Toyota Prius α, and our founder answered the questions a dealer would be asked, about this car, on 2 and 3 October 2026. The photos are the ones the owner had, taken on 1 October 2026. Questions only a dealer can answer, such as whether the car is for sale, are marked Not applicable. Everything else is real.
In a real Remote Check, we phone the dealer in Japanese, ask your questions, ask for the photos you're missing and translate the documents they send. We don't see the car, so nothing in the report is marked Observed.
1. Job details
| Report | NDJ-0000-R (sample) |
| Car | Toyota Prius α, our own car |
| Seller | The owner, in place of a dealer |
| Answers received | 2 and 3 October 2026 |
| Photos received | Taken by the owner on 1 October 2026 |
| Your questions | Five, listed as Q01 to Q05 below |
In a real report, this section also has the listing link, the dealer's name and prefecture, and the date and time of the call in Japan time.
2. What we found, in short
- Reported: the owner says the power steering bushes, the track rod ends (tie rod ends) and the intermediate steering shaft were replaced after buying the car. The owner says the car has a lot of rust, including on the front struts. The rear bumper has been hit. Aftermarket lights are fitted. Toyota's recall search shows three recalls marked as done and one service campaign with an asterisk.
- Not verified: repair history, flood damage, the service record book and the shaken expiry date weren't asked for this sample. None of the photos the owner sent show the underside.
3. The answers
- R01Still for sale?
Our own car. It isn't for saleNot applicable - R02Sells to overseas buyers?
No dealer in this sampleNot applicable - R03Independent viewing allowed?
No dealer in this sampleNot applicable - R04Costs on top of the price
No dealer in this sampleNot applicable - R05Repair history
Not asked for this sampleNot verified - R06Accident or flood damage
Not asked for this sample. The owner's answer about the rear bumper is under Q03Not verified - R07Service record book
Not asked for this sampleNot verified - R08Shaken expiry
Not asked for this sampleNot verified - Q01Have the power steering bushes, the track rod ends or the intermediate shaft been replaced?
The owner says all three were replaced after buying the car, and nothing else was changedReported - Q02Where is the car rusty?
The owner says the car has a lot of rust, including at the top of the front suspension. The rust there is on the strut itself, not on the body where it's mounted, and the lower part of the strut is rusty too. Replacing the strut deals with it. Heavy rust can also mean rust is spreading under the paintReported - Q03Has the car had any damage?
The owner says the rear bumper has been hit. It doesn't show in the owner's photo of the rear bumperReported - Q04Any aftermarket parts?
The owner says aftermarket lights are fitted. We don't identify or judge the partsReported - Q05Only one headlight looks yellowed. Why?
The owner says the car is parked where the sun falls on one side, which is why only one headlight has yellowedReported
In a real report, R01 to R08 are the questions we ask every dealer, and Q01 to Q05 are yours, word for word.
4. Photos and records we were sent
- DP01Owner's photo: the front strut top, from the engine bay
It shows the area the owner describes under Q02. What the marks are is the owner's wordReported - DP02Owner's photo: the rear bumper
The owner says the bumper has been hit. It doesn't show in this photoReported - DP03Owner's photos: both headlights
Taken to show the difference the owner describes under Q05Reported - D01Toyota's recall search, with the chassis number from the owner
Three recalls marked as done (two about the hybrid system's control software, one about a fuel vapour part). One service campaign from January 2018 with an asterisk instead of a status. What the asterisk means is on our recall check pageReported (Toyota's record)
In a real report, DP numbers are the dealer's photos and D numbers are documents, kept apart from the photos we take ourselves on a viewing. Personal details in documents, such as a previous owner's name and address, are hidden.
5. What photos and phone calls can't show for this car
- The underside. None of the photos the owner sent show it, and on a car with this much rust, it's where we'd want to look first. We have photographed the underside of this same car from the ground, and it's very rusty underneath: see underneath a car from Japan. None of that is in this report, because a Remote Check can only report what the seller sends.
- How far the rust goes. The owner's words and one photo of the strut top don't show what's under the paint elsewhere.
- What nobody mentioned. When we viewed this same car in person, we found a small dent on the roof. It isn't in the owner's answers or photos above. See our sample viewing report.
- The hybrid system. No phone call or photo shows how it's working.
- Whether to buy the car. The decision is yours.
- Whether the car has been in an accident. We don't certify that.
That third point is the one to remember: a Remote Check can only report what the seller tells you and sends you.
If you've found a car and want to start with the dealer's answers, send us the listing and your questions.
6. Next step
If the car is somewhere we can reach and the dealer agrees, an On-Site Vehicle Viewing of the same car booked within 14 days of this report has the ¥20,000 Remote Check price deducted. Not sure which you need? See Remote Check or a viewing?
7. About this report
This report records what the owner told us and sent us up to 3 October 2026, within the scope of this sample. We didn't see the car for this report. Everything in it comes from the owner, and is marked Reported — we didn't check whether it's true. Where we didn't ask, the item is marked Not verified.
The list above shows what photos and phone calls can't show for this car.
This report doesn't say whether to buy the car. It doesn't certify accident or repair history, and it doesn't guarantee mileage, future reliability, or whether the car can be registered or used legally in your country.
Before you buy, we recommend having the car seen in person, and checked by a mechanic or other qualified professional, where you can.
Want the same for a car you're looking at? Send us the link, and tell us what you want asked.