UK used-car buying checklist
A step-by-step checklist for the advert, viewing, test drive, finance and identity checks, payment and handover.
Practical UK used-car buying guides
Learn how to interpret MOT records and mileage, recognise recurring advisories, and check a vehicle's identity and history before paying. An MOT certificate is not a guarantee of current condition or a check for theft, finance or write-off status.
Vehicle theft, Cat S and Cat N checks
Understand what the free MOT history does not cover, when licensed provenance checks are needed and which documents to request.
Reading MOT history
A single pass does not tell the whole story. Look for failed tests, repeat advisories, major defects and whether the same category returns year after year.
Mileage consistency
Check that recorded mileage generally rises over time. Sudden drops or implausible jumps deserve documentary evidence and further investigation.
Recurring advisories
Repeated tyres, brakes, suspension, lighting or corrosion findings can indicate deferred maintenance even when each individual MOT later passes.
Negotiating with evidence
Ask for invoices, repair dates and current-condition evidence. Use unresolved findings to guide inspection and price discussion rather than making assumptions.
Value & depreciation
An indicative value is context, not a quote. Compare specification, mileage, condition, service history and local market listings before agreeing a price.
Before you pay
Verify identity, finance/write-off status, service history, tyres, warning lights, fluid leaks, electronics and road behaviour. Consider an independent inspection.
Guide principle: use MOT history as one evidence source alongside physical condition, provenance and ownership checks. Check a vehicle's MOT history with MOTwise.