Guide
Preparing professional vehicle inspection PDFs
Your inspection might be excellent, but the PDF is what the customer sees. A clear, branded, reasonably sized document makes the work look as good as it is. This guide covers the practical points.
Put the answer on the first page
Most customers read the first page and skim the rest. Put the vehicle identity, overall condition, recommendation and key findings there, and use the following pages for the evidence. See what to include in a vehicle inspection report.
Keep the layout consistent
- Use the same section order on every report, so customers learn where to look.
- Use a small set of fonts and sizes. Body text at around 9 to 11 points is comfortable on paper and on a phone.
- Keep contrast high. Light grey text on white prints and reads badly.
- Use colour with purpose: one colour for your brand, and consistent colours for grades.
- Add page numbers and the vehicle registration to every page, so loose pages stay identifiable.
Brand it as yours
Your logo, colours and contact details should be on the report. It tells the customer who stands behind the findings and makes the document easy to recognise later. Keep the software vendor’s branding small and in the background.
Control the file size
Phone photos are several megabytes each. A report with thirty full-size photos can reach tens of megabytes, which is too big for many email systems. Common mailbox limits are around 25 MB.
- Resize photos for the report to around 1,200 to 1,600 pixels on the long edge. That is plenty for a PDF.
- Save as JPEG at moderate quality, and keep the originals separately.
- Include only the photos that evidence a finding or identify the vehicle.
- Check the size before sending. If it is too big, share a link instead.
InspectaCar does this automatically: photos are downscaled for the PDF, and the number of images is capped, so the file stays emailable.
Name files sensibly
A file called “report final v2.pdf” is not helpful in six months. Use a pattern such as year, make, model, registration, and date: 2021-Toyota-RAV4-1ABC2DE-inspection-2026-10-10.pdf.
Protect privacy
- Include only the personal information the report needs. A seller’s home address rarely does.
- Think before photographing documents with personal details, and crop them if you must show them.
- Send reports to the customer who commissioned them, not to the seller, unless the customer says otherwise.
Do not edit after sending
If something changes, issue a revised report with a new date and say what changed. Quietly replacing a report that has already been relied on creates confusion and risk.
Deliver with a link or an attachment
A link to an online report works well because customers always see the latest version and can open it on their phone. An attached PDF is better when the customer wants to forward or save it. Offering both is reasonable.
Common problems
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| PDF too big to email | Downscale photos and limit how many are included. |
| Text too small to read on a phone | Use body text of at least 9 to 10 points. |
| Pages without identification | Add the registration and page number to every page. |
| Key finding buried on page six | Move attention items to the first page. |
| Inconsistent look between reports | Use one template for every inspection. |
Frequently asked questions
How big should an inspection PDF be?
Small enough to email. Many mailboxes limit attachments to about 25 MB, so aim well below that. Downscaling photos is the biggest saving.
Should I send a PDF or a link?
Either works. A link always shows the latest version, and a PDF is easier to save and forward. Many inspectors offer both.
Do I need a template for my PDF reports?
Yes. A consistent template makes reports quicker to produce and easier for customers to read. InspectaCar builds a consistent, branded report for every inspection. See the mechanic inspection report template.