Before you buy the car, check the story.
Screenshot or paste any used-car ad and your chat with the seller. In about a minute you'll know what to question, what to check, what similar cars cost — and exactly what to send the seller next.
- Works with Marketplace, Gumtree & Carsales
- No account needed
- Full report A$7.99, one-off
- Personal details removed first
Example report
2016 Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport
$13,900 · 142,000 km · Brisbane
- Deposit requested before you've seen the carImportant
- VIN offered only after paymentImportant
- Seller won't be present at the viewingCheck
Why it matters
The warning signs are usually in the ad and the messages. Most buyers just don't know what to look for.
A deposit “to hold it”. A VIN you'll get “after payment”. A seller who's interstate. A price that's a little too good. None of these prove anything on their own — but together they tell you what to verify before money changes hands.
ListingGuard reads the listing like an experienced buyer would, then hands you the next steps: what to ask, what to check officially, and how the price compares.
What's in the report
Everything you need before you hand over a deposit.
Warning signs, with the exact words
Deposit requests, pressure, withheld VINs, inconsistencies and missing basics — each one quoted from the ad or chat so you can see why it was flagged.
Ammunition to negotiate
What similar cars are advertised for, where this price sits, and points from the listing you can reasonably raise. Comes with a message you can send.
Questions, written for you
The right questions for this specific listing, combined into one polite message to the seller — copy, paste, send.
What to ask your mechanic
Common things worth checking on this make and model, so your pre-purchase inspection covers what matters.
The right official checks
PPSR for money owing and write-offs, your state's free rego check, and the national recall search — linked, in order.
A checklist you can tick off
A before-you-pay checklist for this car, saved as a PDF to take to the inspection. Kept for 7 days after you buy it.
How it works
Three steps. About a minute.
- 1
Screenshot or paste the ad
From Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, Carsales or a chat app. Add your messages with the seller if you have them.
- 2
Check what gets sent
Names, phone numbers, plates and VINs are removed first — you see exactly what's analysed before anything is sent.
- 3
Get your report in about a minute
Free preview straight away. Unlock the full report, price comparison and ready-to-send messages for a one-off fee.
Where it fits
The step before you spend money on the car.
Official checks and a mechanic still matter — ListingGuard tells you whether a car is worth them, which ones to do, and what to ask. It doesn't replace them.
| What you need to know | ListingGuard | Official PPSR check | Mechanic inspection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red flags in the ad and seller messages | |||
| Questions to ask before you travel to see it | |||
| How the price compares with similar ads | |||
| Money owing, written-off or stolen records | Tells you how | ||
| Mechanical condition | Tells you what to ask |
Pricing
Free to start. One-off when you need the full picture.
No subscription, no account. You see the free preview before deciding.
Free preview
A$0
Every check starts here
- Overall verdict and summary
- Facts stated in the listing
- First findings for each listing
Full report
A$7.99
One listing
- Every finding, with the exact wording
- Similar-car price comparison
- Negotiation points + message
- Message to the seller, ready to copy
- Mechanic checklist, PDF, kept 7 days
Compare
A$19.99
Two or three listings
- Everything in the full report, for each car
- Side-by-side comparison
- One message per seller
Prices in Australian dollars. Payments by Stripe — we never see your card. Pricing details
Questions
Straight answers.
We review the text you provide. We do not verify the seller, inspect the car, or guarantee a vehicle is safe.
Why pay when I still need a PPSR check and a mechanic?
Because ListingGuard is the step before those. It tells you whether a car is worth spending time and money on, which official checks to do, what to ask the seller, what similar cars are advertised for and what to raise when negotiating. If it helps you negotiate even a little, or avoid one wasted trip, it has paid for itself.
Does it tell me if a seller is a scammer?
No — and be wary of anything that claims to. It points out things worth checking, like a deposit requested before viewing, inconsistencies or missing details, with the exact wording. Many sellers with brief listings are genuine, and a careful scammer can write a normal-looking ad.
Where do the similar-car prices come from?
After you unlock a report, we search current Australian car advertisements for the same make and model. Every price shown links to its source, and any price we can't trace to the source text is dropped. They're advertised asking prices, not a valuation.
Can I use screenshots from Facebook Marketplace?
Yes. Screenshot the ad and your chat, upload them, and we read the text out for you to check. Names, phone numbers and number plates are removed, and screenshots are never stored. We never open links or log in to marketplaces.
Do you check PPSR, registration or stolen-vehicle records?
No. We're not connected to any official or commercial database. The report links you to the official PPSR search and your state's free registration check, and tells you what to look for.
What happens to my text and my report?
The listing text and messages are used for the analysis only and are not kept. Free previews are deleted after 24 hours; paid reports are kept for 7 days so you can use them through inspection and negotiation. You can delete a report at any time.
If no warning signs are found, is the car safe to buy?
No. It only means the text you supplied didn't show any. Always do the official checks and an independent inspection.
Looking at a car right now?
Check it before you message the seller back. The preview is free.