What we photograph
What we photograph when we view a car
Photos show less than you think. A listing shows what the dealer's camera was pointed at. This page shows where we point ours, and in what order, so you can see what you'd get before you send us a link.
It's the order we usually work in, walking round the car clockwise from the front left. The numbers are the photo numbers in the report: in our sample report, P040 is a dent on the roof and P091 is a strut top.
How to read this list
- The spots you ask about come first. Every car is different. Rust on the rear arches, the strut tops, the underside or a part of the interior: tell us before we go, and we photograph those closest.
- This is how we usually work, not a fixed set. What every viewing includes is on the How a viewing works page: at least 40 photos, short videos and up to 90 minutes at the dealer. Some photos depend on the car (not every car has a spare wheel well) and some on the dealer (opening the bonnet (hood), starting the engine).
- If we can't take a photo, we say so. It goes in the report as Not verified, with the reason.
- We don't edit the photos. No brightness changes, no retouching. Before we send them, we hide people, other cars' number plates, name badges and personal details in documents.
1. Identity
- P001 A sheet with the report number and date, held next to the car, so the photos are tied to the day
- P002 The chassis number, close enough to read
- P003 The model code plate, in the engine bay or on a door pillar
2. The whole car
- P010–P017 The car from eight positions: front, each corner at an angle, each side straight on, and the back, taken at waist height
- P018 The roof, as far as we can see it from the ground
3. Panel by panel
- P020–P031 Each panel straight on: bonnet (hood), front bumper, both front wings (fenders), all four doors, both rear wings (quarter panels), boot lid (trunk lid) or tailgate, rear bumper. Panels where a reflection shows the shape of the surface get a second photo at an angle
- P032 The sills (rocker panels) under the doors
4. Dents, scratches and rust
- P040 onwards Anything that looks like a dent, scratch, discoloured paint or rust. Two photos each: one from further back to show where it is, one close up with a coin or ruler for size
If we find nothing, the report says "none found in the areas we could see". It doesn't say "no damage".
5. Gaps, bolts and paint edges
- P050–P052 Panel gaps round the bonnet (hood), the doors and the boot (trunk), compared side to side
- P053–P055 Bolt heads on the wings (fenders), bonnet (hood) hinges and door hinges
- P056 Paint texture inside the door openings, and where the paint meets the rubber seals
- P057 Overspray on rubber, trim and plastic parts, if there is any
We photograph these and leave the reading to you and your mechanic. We don't say what a mark on a bolt head means.
6. Glass, lights and seals
- P060–P061 The windscreen, and any chips or cracks
- P062 Headlights: haze, yellowing, cracks
- P063 Rear lights
- P064 Door seals
7. Wheels and tyres
- P070–P077 Wheel faces, and tyre sidewalls with the size and date codes readable, and the tread
We photograph the tyres but don't judge them. Our view: fit the tyres you want once the car is in your country.
8. Underneath, from ground level
- P080–P083 Under the front bumper, under both sills, and under the rear bumper with the exhaust outlet
- P084 Inside the wheel arches, as far as we can see
- P085 The ground under the car, if anything has dripped
We don't lift the car. On a car that's been lowered a lot, we may not be able to photograph underneath at all. If the underside has been coated with rustproofing, rust under the coating can't be seen.
9. Engine bay
- P090 The whole engine bay
- P091 Both strut tops, at the back corners
- P092 The slam panel across the top of the radiator, and its bolts
- P093 Fluid reservoirs, from outside. We don't open caps
- P094 The battery
- P095 The underside of the bonnet (hood)
10. Interior
- P100–P102 Driver's seat (including the side bolster), steering wheel, pedals
- P103–P105 Dashboard, centre console, and the screen switched on
- P106–P108 Headlining, rear seats, door cards (door panels)
- P109 The floor with the mats lifted
- P110 The boot (trunk) floor lifted, and the spare wheel well
We also note how the cabin smells: smoke, air freshener, damp, or nothing. That goes in the report as our impression, because it is one.
11. Dashboard
- P120 Ignition on, before the engine starts, with all the warning lights lit
- P121 After the engine starts, any warning lights still on
- P122 The odometer reading
12. Videos
- V001 A walk round the car, without stopping
- V002 The engine starting, filmed with the exhaust in view
- V003 The engine bay at idle, for the sound
- V004 Windows, lights and wipers working
The dealer's staff start the engine and operate the car. We don't. We can't tell whether the engine had already been warmed up before we arrived, and the report says so.
What this list can't show
A careful set of photos is still a set of photos. We don't lift the car, connect diagnostic equipment, take parts off or test drive. Light matters too: strong sun hides some small dents and shows up others, which is why the report notes the light on the day. And although dent repair is our trade, we don't use dent repair lights at a dealer. A dealer's forecourt isn't the place for them, so everything here is what a careful eye and an ordinary camera can show.
For what dealer photos tend to leave out, and which photos to ask a dealer for if you can't send us, see What dealer photos of a Japanese car miss. To ask a dealer yourself, use Photos to ask a Japanese dealer for: the places that matter most, cut down to what a dealer can photograph.
Curious what this list would look like for a particular car? Send us the link, and tell us the spots that matter most.
If you'd rather start without a visit, a Remote Check is a phone call to the dealer in Japanese, with the photos you're missing requested from them. Not sure which you need? See Remote Check or a viewing?