Used car buying guides

Plain-English answers to the questions that come up when you're buying a used car.

Buying a used car

What to check before buying a used carA step-by-step checklist for buying a used car: the history check, paperwork, the viewing, the test drive and paying safely.

Car history checks

What is a car history check?What a car history check covers, what a free check misses, and when paying for a full check is worth it.

What is an HPI check?Why people say "HPI check", what the check actually looks at, and how to get the same information for any UK car.

MOT

MOT advisories explainedDangerous, major, minor and advisory MOT defects explained, and which repeated advisories should worry a used car buyer.

Service history

How to check a car's service historyHow to check service history with or without the paper book, including digital dealer records and garage invoices.

Finance

Buying a car with outstanding financeWhat happens if you buy a car with finance still owed, how to buy one safely, and what to do if it has already happened.

Write-offs

Car write-off categories explainedWhat Cat A, B, S and N mean, whether you can drive or insure a written-off car, and what to check before buying one.

Mileage

Signs a car has been clockedHow to spot a car with a wound-back odometer, from MOT mileage records to wear that doesn't match the miles.

Stolen and cloned cars

How to spot a cloned carWhat car cloning is, the warning signs to look for, and how to make sure a car is genuine before you hand over money.

What to do if you bought a stolen carYour next steps if a car you bought turns out to be stolen, and how to get your money back from the seller.

What is a VIN number?What the 17 characters of a VIN mean, where to find it on a car, and why it must match the V5C logbook.

Number plates

How to read a UK number plateWhat each part of a UK number plate means, how the age identifier works, and the rules for private plates.