Is the car still in the family member's name, and do you know if it's had any major work done under the extended warranty? Also, are you planning to drive it daily or keep it as a weekend car? Annual mileage changes the running cost more than most people expect.

Don't panic yet, Mirdif's patched roads wreck plenty of cars. Look for oil on the strut body and see if the car sits lower on one side. If both check out, you're likely looking at bushings, which cost way less than a full set of magnetic struts.

Squealing is mostly down to pad compound and whether they cleaned and greased the contact points, not the shop's size. Did the dealer say the pads are actually worn out, or just that they're near the limit? And how many km are on the car?

Is it the main battery under the rear seat or are you sure it isn't just a weak jump-start situation? Also, did the car throw any battery warnings in the last few weeks before this? Would help narrow down whether you actually need a full replacement today.

What's your inspector actually asking for, just the UN marking or also secondary containment and ventilation? That changes how many tanks you really need to buy upfront. And are the acids and surfactants going to sit in the same area?

Did any of the three actually plug in Lexia or DiagBox, or was it just a generic scanner? And has the battery ever been replaced or coded in? That stop-start fault on a 508 can hang on that alone.

What year is your Escalade? The AC hesitation might be worth logging, does it happen at idle or while driving? Also curious whether the dealer ever mentioned any software updates for the HVAC module when you took it in.

Is this a full body kit or just lip, diffuser and mirrors? Because if it's the smaller pieces, carbon makes way more sense than going all the way. Also, is the car garaged at night or does it sit in the sun all day?

Does the scratch look white or lighter than the surrounding paint, or is it the same colour just visible in the light? That tells you a lot about whether it's the clear coat only. Also how old is the car, and has it been polished before?

Never regretted paying for an inspection myself, but definitely heard of people who skipped it on a Wrangler and ended up with a rebuilt title or hidden frame damage they discovered way too late. The cost of the inspection is nothing compared to what a serious hidden issue like that would cost you ...