The first inspection is a barrier. You won’t do the second until someone calls. Here’s where to find your first 10 clients, from cheapest (time) to most expensive (money). No ad budget, no website, no Instagram needed.

What you need to start

Before hunting clients, you need:

A phone with a number reachable 7 days a week (clients call mostly evenings).
An email for sending PDF reports (Gmail is fine).
MotoPPI installed from the App Store, so you can show clients you work on a real tool.
A bank account with instant transfers for fast payments.

What you don’t need at the start:

A website (only works after 50+ jobs).
Logo, branding (clients don’t look).
A car with stickers (looks like a dealership, clients get suspicious).
Business cards (nobody carries them anymore).

Channel 1: local Facebook groups

Time to first job: 3-7 days.

The only free channel that delivers clients from week one. Here’s how:

How to find groups

Search FB for:

selling car [your city]
motoring [your region]
buying a car [your city]

Join 5-8 largest groups (5,000+ members). Approval takes 1-3 days.

What to do in the groups

Don’t spam. Spam = ban + lost channel.

Comment under sale listings:

“I can inspect this car before purchase, I’m an inspector based in [neighbourhood]. €50, PDF report, weekend availability. DM me.”

That’s it. One sentence. No emojis. No “I highly recommend myself”. No links.

Rules of commenting

Max 5 comments per day. More and FB starts flagging.
Only in your area. Commenting on a listing 200km away = wasted time.
Don’t respond to hate. “What’s the €50 for though” → ignore, don’t explain.
Reply to every interested DM within 30 minutes. Clients message 3 inspectors at once, fastest wins.

Realistic outcome

First 2 weeks: 2-4 jobs from FB. After a month: 5-7 jobs. That’s the plateau, scale further with other channels.

Channel 2: “help me evaluate this car” groups

Time to first job: 1-3 days.

A second type of FB group, easier to convert than “selling”:

Help me evaluate this car
Used car check
Is it worth buying [model]

People in these groups are already seeking advice, you offer the paid version of that advice.

What you post

You also help, post valuable comments under others’ questions:

“Check the rear wheel arches near the boot, that’s where Audi A4 B8 corrosion starts. Hard to say more without a visit.”

After 5-10 such comments, people start associating you with “that inspector”. When someone asks “who can check my car in [city]?”, somebody else tags you.

This is the most organic channel, works slowly (3-4 weeks), but gives the best clients (already decided to pay).

Channel 3: Google Business Profile

Time to first job: 2-4 weeks.

The strongest long-term channel. Client searches “car inspection [your city]”, you show in the top 3 map results.

How to set up

Go to google.com/business.
Pick category: “Automotive Services” → “Vehicle Inspection”.
Add your address (can be private, you can hide it later).
Add photos: you with paint gauge, MotoPPI report screenshot, your tools in the boot.
Wait for verification postcard (5-10 days).

First reviews

Without reviews, Google won’t show you. Your first 5 reviews come from FB group clients, always send SMS after the job:

“Hi [name], thanks for today. If everything was OK, I’d appreciate a short Google review: [link]. It really helps.”

50-60% of clients leave a review. After 10 reviews with 4.8+ avg, Google starts placing you at the top.

Bonus: local SEO

Your Google Business listing also boosts organic search:

“car inspector [your city]”, result #1-3 after 3 months.
“pre-purchase inspection [your city]”, result #1-5.

These are ready-to-buy clients searching for inspections.

Channel 4: AutoTrader / Otomoto Pro / classifieds

Time to first job: 1-2 weeks.

First paid channel, but delivers clients with wallets fastest.

Cost: €15-30 / month for a basic plan.
Shows you in the “services” section next to car listings.
Client sees your ad at the moment of purchase, best marketing moment.

Recommendation at the start: AutoTrader / Otomoto Pro before free classifieds. There sit clients buying €10-30k cars, your rates can be higher.

Channel 5: partnerships with dealers

Time to first job: 2-6 weeks.

Strongest long-term channel. One loyal dealer = 3-5 recurring jobs per month.

How to pitch a dealer

Pick a small, local dealer (15-40 cars). Not chains. Call the owner:

“Hi, I do pre-purchase car inspections in [neighbourhood]. Some of your clients probably want an independent opinion before buying. My proposal: refer me to clients, I earn, you get 20% commission per job.”

Of 10 dealers you call, 2-3 say yes. Of those 2-3, one becomes active, that’s your first partnership.

How it works

Client looks at a car at the dealer.
The dealer says: “I have an independent inspector I work with, I can recommend them. €70, PDF report, independent.”
Client calls you, books inspection.
After the job, you transfer the dealer 20% (€14 from a €70 job).

Client pays the normal rate. The dealer’s commission comes from you, not the client. Critical, client doesn’t feel it’s rigged.

What the dealer gets (recap)

€10-20 clean commission per referral (no effort).
Credibility: “we recommend an independent expert” = higher conversion.
Inspected client rarely returns with complaints.

Channel 6: niche forums and groups

Time: 4-8 weeks. Slowest, but most durable.

Brand forums (e.g. bmwfanatics.com, audiworld).
Facebook groups like “[Model] Owners Club”.
Reddit (r/cars, r/MechanicAdvice).

Strategy: answer questions on technical merit, without selling. After 10-15 good answers you become “that BMW E90 guy”, people self-refer.

Roadmap: channels by month

Month	Active channels	Job target
1	FB selling groups	3-5
2	FB groups + FB advice groups	6-8
3	+ Google Business + classifieds	8-12
4-6	+ 1-2 dealer partnerships	12-20
6+	+ specialist forums + 2nd dealer	20+

Don’t try all channels at once. Each needs 2-4 weeks to show results, spreading thin = no result anywhere.

What to avoid

1. Facebook ads before you have 20 reviews

FB ads with no Google reviews = burned money. Client clicks, Googles you, finds no reviews, leaves.

2. A rigid website with a contact form

Clients won’t fill in forms. Clients call. A website only makes sense after 50+ jobs, as an SEO business card.

3. Flyers in mailboxes

Car inspection is a niche service, 95% of flyer recipients don’t need it. Print + distribution cost: €100, result: 0-1 jobs.

4. “First inspection 50% off” promotions

You attract bargain hunters. After the first job they don’t return; they recommend “that cheap guy” to friends, and rates spiral down.

Summary

You’ll get the first 10 clients in 2-3 months from three channels:

Local FB selling groups (fastest, client ready).
Google Business Profile + reviews (organic, long-term).
One dealer partnership (stability, recurring income).

All for €0 ad budget plus 1 hour daily on FB and replying.

Download MotoPPI on the App Store, first check is free.