Use a three-level result, not a free-for-all
The simplest scale that works in a busy workshop is three levels per item: OK, Attention (it will need work soon) and Fail (it needs work now, or it is unsafe). Short notes explain the reasoning. Anything more detailed slows the mechanic down and the data gets patchy.
A general checklist by system
- Brakes: pad and shoe thickness, disc and drum condition, brake fluid level and condition, hoses and lines, handbrake operation.
- Tyres and wheels: tread depth, sidewall damage, age, even wear, pressures, spare if fitted.
- Suspension: shock absorbers for leaks, bushes, ball joints, springs, mounts.
- Steering: play, rack and boots, tie rod ends, power steering fluid.
- Lights and electrical: headlights, indicators, brake lights, reverse lights, horn, wipers and washers.
- Fluids: engine oil, coolant, transmission fluid, screen wash, any visible leaks.
- Battery: terminals and corrosion, hold-down, charging output if you test it.
- Exhaust: leaks, mounts, condition of the pipe and muffler.
- Body and glass: windscreen chips and cracks, mirrors, obvious damage worth recording before work starts.
Take photos as you find things
A note says "front pads low". A photo shows the customer exactly how low. Photos taken during the inspection answer most questions before the customer asks them and protect the workshop if damage was already there.
Turn findings into a quote, not a lecture
Group findings into: needs doing today, needs doing soon, and monitor. Present them as separate lines the customer can approve one at a time. Customers are far more comfortable saying yes to a specific, photographed item with a price than to a general warning.
Keep each inspection as a record
If you change your checklist, past inspections should still show the checklist as it was on the day. Otherwise the history of a vehicle quietly changes whenever you tidy up a template.
Doing this on paper versus digitally
Paper works until a sheet goes missing or someone has to retype the findings into the job. A digital checklist on a phone or tablet removes the retyping and lets the office see a flagged item the moment it is found. Mechvy’s inspections follow exactly this approach, with a ready-made general inspection you can adapt.
This checklist is a general starting point, not a substitute for the manufacturer’s service schedule or any inspection required by law in your area.