Overview
Vehicle check
The starting point: what a registration-led vehicle check covers, in plain terms, and what it does not.
Used-car buying, done properly
Check a vehicle
before you buy.
A good-looking advert is only the start. Check the records, compare the paperwork and know which questions to ask before you buy.
- Registration-led vehicle checks
- Model guides built on published MOT data
- Plain-English buying and ownership guides
Step 1
Enter a registration
Enter the registration to begin your vehicle check.
Car Check
Where to go next
Choose the check you need
Understand the records. Choose the check that helps with your next step.
History
MOT history check
Understand how MOT history is presented and what to look for across test dates.
History
Car history check
The wider history picture around a used car, explained without hype.
Finance & records
Outstanding finance check
Why finance status matters at the point of sale, and how the check fits in.
Damage
Car write-off check
Write-off status explained, and how it should shape your buying decision.
Records
HPI check
What an HPI-style check covers and the questions it helps you answer.
More existing checks: mileage, stolen, car tax, registration, free car check.
Latest guides
Newest buying advice
The latest practical advice for buying, selling and looking after your car.
Car owning guides
Can Bailiffs Take a Car on Finance? UK Rules Explained
Usually not: cars on HP, PCP or conditional sale normally belong to the lender. What Citizens Advice and StepChange say, and what to do if a bailiff clamps your…
Read the guideCar buying guides
MOT Mileage Discrepancies: What to Check Before Buying
MOT mileage not matching the service records? Compare the readings, request evidence and decide whether the explanation adds up.
Read the guideCar buying guides
How to Read a Used Car’s MOT History
Learn what MOT results, recurring advisories and mileage readings tell you—and which questions to ask before buying.
Read the guideCar buying guides
Recurring MOT Advisories: What Should Used-Car Buyers Ask?
The same MOT advisory appearing year after year? Learn what to check, what to ask the seller and when to get an independent inspection.
Read the guideModel guides
Look up a model you’re considering
Find the model you’re considering and the checks worth making before the viewing.
Used Ford FocusExplore the buying guideUsed Volkswagen PoloExplore the buying guideUsed Toyota YarisExplore the buying guideBMW 3 SeriesExplore the buying guideNissan QashqaiExplore the buying guideVauxhall CorsaExplore the buying guideVolkswagen GolfExplore the buying guideFord FiestaExplore the buying guide
How we calculate the MOT data in our guides — data sources, definitions and suppression rules.
Method & sources
Numbers with a paper trail
Our model guides cite where the data comes from and how each figure is calculated. Read the methodology before you rely on a percentage.
- MOT data
- DVSA anonymised MOT tests & results, 2025 extracts · Open Government Licence v3.0
- Licensing
- DfT/DVLA vehicle licensing, 2026 Q2 column · Open Government Licence v3.0
- Recalls
- DVSA vehicle recalls file · Open Government Licence v3.0