Dents
Count, approximate size, whether it sits on a body line or an aluminum panel, and whether it looks PDR-eligible or needs body and paint.
AI photo inspection
AI vehicle inspection for used-car appraisals
Appraise’s Inspect tool reviews your walk-around photos and flags what a person should look at: dents, paint damage, panel gaps, rust, leaks, worn tires, torn CV boots and lit warning lights. You accept, edit or dismiss every finding, and accepted findings become recon lines priced from your own PDR, paint and labour rates, never from the AI’s guess.
Key facts
- What it flagsDents, paint, panel gaps, rust, leaks, suspension, tires, glass, interior and warning lights.
- Dent sizesDime, nickel, quarter, half-dollar or larger, with body-line and aluminum flags.
- Paint depthClear coat, into the paint, or down to metal, each with its own repair.
- Your pricesCosts are calculated from your rate tables in the app, not by the AI.
- Optional photosOne photo or fifty. Every shot can be skipped.
- Human reviewFindings are flags for a person to review, not a mechanical inspection.
What it finds
What does the AI look for?
Each photo is checked with instructions specific to that shot, so a tire close-up is read differently from a door panel.
Paint damage
Clear-coat scratches, damage into the paint or down to metal, chips and cracked paint, plus colour mismatch between panels.
Prior repairs
Uneven panel gaps and misalignment that suggest the car has had bodywork.
Rust
Weighted for road salt: frame rails, rockers, rear arches, brake lines and subframes.
Where salt hidesLeaks and suspension
Oil and coolant leaks, torn CV boots and worn bushings from the shots behind the wheels and underneath.
Tires, glass and the dash
Tread depth estimates, glass chips, warning lights with the engine running, and the odometer and VIN read from photos.
Photos
Which photos should you take?
Follow the guided checklist, take a free shot of anything else, or skip any of it. Results show for whatever you captured.
- An eight-point walk-around plus close-ups of any damage
- Front wheels turned to full lock, and behind each wheel for control arms, CV boots and struts
- All four tires, the engine bay, and the underbody front and rear
- The dash with the engine running, the VIN plate and the interior
- Blurry or dark photo? You’re asked to retake it on the spot
Tap a dent and pick its size from the chips, or put a coin in the shot for scale; AI-only sizes are labelled approximate.
Your rates
How are inspection findings priced?
The AI describes what it sees and recommends a repair. The price comes from your own rate tables, so it is consistent and you can change it.
- PDR matrix: base price per dent by size, a lower price for additional dents on the same panel, and surcharges for body lines, aluminum and access
- Paint rates: buff and polish, touch-up, and panel refinish
- Mechanical items: your labour rate
- Placeholder rates are clearly marked until you set your own
Guide: estimating recon costs.
Recon from findingsSample
- Dent · driver doorQuarter size · PDR$125
- Dent · rear quarterQuarter size, on body line · PDR$156
- Scratch · rear bumperClear coat · buff and polish$95
- Rust · rear archScale · body shop$450
- Inspection recon$826
Example rates. Your PDR matrix and paint rates set every price.
Honest limits
Is AI photo inspection a mechanical inspection?
No, and it is designed not to pretend to be one.
AI findings are flags for a person to review. You accept, edit or dismiss every one, and only accepted findings become recon. A photo can’t hear a rod knock, feel a transmission flare or measure brake pads behind a wheel, so the inspection works alongside the OBD scan and your test drive, not instead of them.
What it does well is make sure nothing obvious gets missed when the lot is busy, put a consistent price on what was found, and keep the photos with the car so your manager, your wholesaler and, if you choose, your customer see exactly what you saw.
Do I have to take every photo?
No. Every shot is optional. Take one photo of a dent or the full checklist; results show for whatever you captured.
How accurate are the dent sizes?
AI-only sizes are labelled approximate. For an exact price, tap the dent and choose its size from the chips, or include a coin or card in the photo for scale.
Does it work without an OBD scan?
Yes. Inspect, Scan and Value each work on their own, and their results stack on the same car when you use more than one.
Can my team see the photos?
Yes. Findings and photos stay with the car and are shared with everyone at your dealership.
Can it estimate hail damage?
It flags dents panel by panel with size and PDR eligibility, priced from your PDR matrix. On a heavily hailed car, use it to document the damage and confirm the count with your PDR tech.
Guides
What should you read next?
Reconditioning
Reconditioning cost estimates: dents, paint, tires and rust
PDR vs body shop, the three depths of paint damage, tire tread and age, rust severity, and where recon belongs in the offer.
Read the guide InspectionAlberta winter and road-salt damage: what to check
Frame rails, rockers, cab corners, brake and fuel lines and subframes, plus how to grade rust and what cold does to batteries and 4x4s.
Read the guide Appraisal processHow to appraise a used car trade-in: a step-by-step checklist
The full process in order, from VIN and lien checks to the walk-around, scan, test drive, recon list, comps and max buy.
Read the guideReady to turn a walk-around into a recon number?
Try it free for 14 days, no card needed. Or book a demo and we will run a real VIN with you.