Practical guide to buying a used car safely in the UK — checks, scams to avoid and pre-purchase inspections.
Checking a used car before you spend a penny
Every used car check starts with the registration. The free MOT history shows every pass, fail, advisory and recorded mileage, which is the cheapest lie detector in motoring. Read the mileages in sequence: a gap where the figure drops or barely moves for a year is worth an explanation before you travel.
Repeated advisories matter more than a single failure. A car advised for the same corroded brake pipe or worn suspension bush three years running has an owner who fixes nothing until it fails the test — and you are buying the backlog.
What to do on the viewing
See the car cold. A warm engine hides a difficult start, a rattling timing chain and blue smoke. Look along the panels in daylight for mismatched paint, check tyre brands and dates on all four corners, and pull the dipstick to look for mayonnaise under the cap on petrol cars.
On the drive: brakes straight and quiet, no vibration through the wheel, clutch biting low without shuddering, gearbox quiet in every gear, and no warning light that appears once the engine is hot. Turn the radio off and listen.
Provenance: the part that costs real money
MOT history is free but it cannot tell you if the car is still on finance, has been written off, or is recorded as stolen. If finance is outstanding the lender still owns the vehicle and can lawfully take it back from you. That is the single most expensive mistake a private buyer makes.
Bob's Full Vehicle Check is £19.99 for one registration and covers outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, scrapped and import flags, plus a mechanic's written verdict on what the history actually means for that car.
Negotiating with evidence
Price the faults, do not just haggle. Tyres near the limit, a discoloured brake fluid, an MOT with two months left and an advisory for corrosion are all quotable numbers, and a seller argues far less with a figure than with an opinion.
Walk away from a car with no V5C in the seller's name, no service history and a story for every question. There is always another one.
Frequently asked questions
What should I check first on a used car?
The MOT history for the registration — mileage sequence, failures and repeated advisories tell you how the car has been looked after.
Do I need a paid history check?
For anything expensive, yes. Only a paid check shows outstanding finance, insurance write-off category and stolen markers. Bob's Full Vehicle Check is £19.99.
Should I see the car cold?
Always. A warm engine hides hard starting, chain rattle and smoke on start-up.
What is the biggest red flag?
A seller who is not the registered keeper on the V5C, or who will not let you view at their home address.