Is it really worth inspecting a cheap used Polo?

[quintusquilter]

I'm looking at an older Polo for my daughter who's just started driving, nothing fancy, just something safe and reliable for getting to college. The car's only worth so much and I keep wondering whether paying for an inspection makes sense on something at this end of the market, since the check could cost a decent chunk of the car's value. My wife reckons I'm overthinking it and should just buy something cheap and accept it'll have a few knocks. But then I think about my daughter stranded on the side of the road somewhere and I'm not so sure. Someone told me to find out more about what a proper check actually covers before dismissing it, and to be fair the safety stuff matters more than I first thought. Has anyone here bothered inspecting a budget car, and was it actually worth it or did you feel like you'd overspent on peace of mind?