What to Check When Buying a Used Car: The Checklist

Before you view: ten minutes at home

Everything in this section comes from the reg, and all of it is free. Do it before you agree to travel, because most cars that turn out to be a waste of a Saturday could have been ruled out here.

• MOT history. Read every test, not just the last one. Look for repeat advisories, fails that came back within days, and the items that have never been fixed. Our guide to what MOT advisories mean explains which ones carry a real bill.
• Tax and MOT status. An untaxed car, or one whose MOT ran out months ago, has been sitting. The MOT due date check shows both in seconds.
• ULEZ. If you drive in London, the ULEZ check tells you whether the car meets the standard before you fall for it.
• Mileage trend. The mileage recorded at each MOT should climb steadily. A reading that drops is a mileage discrepancy, and the clocked car guide shows how to read it.
• Market price. The free check shows where the asking price sits against similar cars, so you know whether the seller’s number is fair before you start negotiating.

If the record is consistent and the price is in range, book the viewing. If it isn’t, you have questions to ask by message before you spend an afternoon on it.

Paperwork on the day

Ask for the documents before you look at the car. A seller with nothing to hide will hand them over; a seller who wants you to see the car first is hoping you’ll fall for it.

• V5C logbook. Check three things: the keeper’s name and address match the seller and the place you’re meeting; the VIN on the document matches the VIN on the car (windscreen plate, door pillar, under the bonnet); and the number of former keepers is what you were told. The V5C does not record mileage and is not proof of ownership. The V5C logbook check guide goes through it field by field.
• Service history. Stamps or invoices with dates and mileages. Compare the mileages with the MOT record; they should tell the same story.
• Old MOT certificates. Not essential, since the record is online, but the mileage printed on them is another point on the trend line.
• Receipts. For anything the seller says has been done, especially items that appeared as advisories. No receipt means the work is unconfirmed.

The keeper count deserves a moment. There is no magic number, but a car that has changed hands every year has been passed on for a reason each time. Our guide to how many previous owners is too many explains what counts as a keeper and what a high or low number can hide.

The walk-round

Twenty minutes in daylight, ideally with the car dry. You are not looking for perfection; you are looking for things that disagree with the story you’ve been told.

• Panel gaps. Run a finger along the gaps between bonnet, wings and doors. They should be even on both sides. A wider gap on one side points to a repair.
• Paint. Look along each panel at a low angle for a colour or texture mismatch, and check rubber seals and trim for overspray.
• Tyres. Read the date code on each tyre (a four-digit week and year) and check the brands. Four matching, decent tyres suggest an owner who spent money; two budget tyres on one axle and two premium on the other suggests one who didn’t.
• Glass. Each window carries a small etched code. A single replaced window is normal; several that don’t match the rest is worth a question.
• Under the bonnet. Look for corrosion on the inner wings and the front panel, fresh underseal that hides more than it protects, and any fluid where fluid shouldn’t be.
• Inside. Wear on the driver’s seat bolster, the pedal rubbers and the steering wheel should match the mileage. Heavy wear on a low-mileage car is a question. Heavy wear on the rear seats and a plate-holder hole on the roof point to a previous life, covered in the ex-taxi guide.

The test drive

Ask the seller not to warm the car up before you arrive. A cold start tells you more than anything else you’ll do that day.

• Cold start. The engine should catch quickly and settle. Listen for rattles that fade after a few seconds, and look for smoke from the exhaust.
• Warning lights. Every light should come on with the ignition and go out once the engine runs. A bulb that never lights has often been removed.
• Steering. On a straight, flat road, the car should hold its line with light hands. A pull to one side can be tyres, alignment or something more.
• Brakes. A firm stop from 40mph should be straight and smooth. A shudder through the pedal or wheel points to worn discs, a typical range of £80–£400 if the record hasn’t already priced it.
• Gearbox. Every gear, up and down, including reverse. An automatic should change without a thump; a manual clutch should bite around the middle of the pedal travel.
• Noises. Drive over a speed bump slowly with the window down. Knocks from the corners are suspension, typical range £80–£800 depending on what has gone.

Before you pay

Four things are not in the MOT record and cannot be seen at the viewing: whether the car has been written off, whether money is still owed on it, whether it is recorded as stolen, and its full keeper history. These are the paid checks, and they belong at this point in the process — after you’ve decided you want the car, before any money moves.

• Insurance write-off. A repaired Cat S or Cat N can hold a valid MOT and look flawless. The write-off categories guide explains what each category means for the price.
• Outstanding finance. If finance is recorded, the lender may still own the car. This is the one result that is action required before purchase: the agreement must be settled, and confirmed in writing by the lender, before you pay. The outstanding finance guide explains how that works.
• Stolen marker. A stolen car can be seized from you without compensation. How the check works, and the free warning signs, are in the guide to checking if a car is stolen.
• Keeper history and plate changes. A different registration in the past is normal; several in a short period is a question. The report shows what is recorded, and where a record is absent it says so, which is not the same as clear.

All four are in the Full History Report: £9.99, one-off, no subscription, 60 days’ access, delivered instantly. Like every history check, it shows what the records hold; no check can guarantee a car’s past. If you’re weighing whether you need it at all, the HPI check vs free check guide sets out when the free check is enough.

One last thing about money. A deposit is a contract, and what you can and can’t get back depends on what was agreed and whether the seller is a trader. We don’t give legal advice; Citizens Advice explains your rights when buying a used car, including deposits, in plain terms.

The checklist

Print this or save it to your phone. Tick each line before you move to the next stage.

1. MOT history read in full: repeat advisories and unfixed items noted and priced.
2. Tax and MOT status current, or a reason given for why not.
3. Mileage trend rises steadily on the MOT record; any discrepancy explained.
4. Asking price checked against similar cars.
5. V5C seen: keeper name and address match the seller and the meeting place.
6. VIN on the V5C matches the VIN on the car.
7. Number of former keepers matches what you were told.
8. Service history and receipts seen; mileages agree with the MOT record.
9. Panel gaps even, no paint mismatch or overspray.
10. Tyre dates and brands checked; wear even across each axle.
11. Glass etchings consistent.
12. Under-bonnet corrosion and leaks checked.
13. Interior wear matches the mileage.
14. Cold start clean; all warning lights come on then go out.
15. Steering straight, brakes smooth, every gear selected, no knocks over bumps.
16. Write-off, finance, stolen and keeper checks run and read.
17. Any finance settled and confirmed in writing by the lender before payment.
18. Price agreed reflects the advisories and repairs still outstanding.