The complete guide
Buying a used car in the UK, done properly
Every step from budgeting to driving away, with the free tools and detailed guides to back up each one. No account needed for any of it.
The complete guide
Every step from budgeting to driving away, with the free tools and detailed guides to back up each one. No account needed for any of it.
Free tools for buying
Full test history, mileage, advisories, and current tax status for any car, by registration number.
Score two cars side by side out of 100 on condition, mileage, tax, and emissions.
Real DVSA pass rates by manufacturer and the most common reasons cars fail.
The step-by-step process
Set a realistic total budget
Not just the purchase price. Insurance, particularly for newer drivers, is often the biggest ongoing cost, and it varies enormously by car, so get a rough quote before falling for a specific model.
Decide dealer or private sale
A dealer gives you Consumer Rights Act protection at a higher price. A private sale is usually cheaper with far less legal protection, shifting more of the checking responsibility onto you.
Check the car's record before you view it
Pull the MOT history by registration number before arranging anything. It takes seconds and immediately shows whether the description matches reality.
Look for the specific red flags
Repeated advisories, mileage that doesn't add up, and hidden rust are the three things that catch most buyers out. Each has its own detailed guide.
Check for outstanding finance and write-off status
Neither is in free government data. A paid check (a few pounds via a provider like HPI) is genuinely worth it, since buying a car with undisclosed finance can mean losing it even after paying in full.
View, inspect, and negotiate with facts
Specific findings from the MOT record, a repeated advisory, an upcoming test, make for a far stronger negotiating position than a general feeling that the price seems high.
Insure before you drive, tax before you drive
Valid insurance has to be in place before the car moves at all, including the drive home. Tax doesn't transfer between owners since 2014, so the car is legally untaxed the moment ownership changes.
Every related guide
Frequently asked questions
Pulling the car's full MOT history by registration number, since it independently shows past pass and fail results, advisories, and mileage readings that can't be edited by the seller, unlike anything they tell you verbally.
Dealers offer Consumer Rights Act protection and usually a higher price. Private sales are typically cheaper but carry more risk and far less legal protection, so more of the checking responsibility falls on the buyer.
Write-off category (Cat A, B, S, or N) is insurance industry data, not held by DVSA or DVLA, so it needs a paid check from a provider like HPI. A free MOT history check still helps by showing mileage and condition patterns worth asking about.