Salvage history check

A salvage history check tells you whether a car has been sold through a salvage auction. That usually happens after an insurer writes a car off: they pay out the owner, then sell the damaged car on to be repaired or broken for parts. The salvage record is often the only place you can see how badly damaged it was before someone put it right.

Salvage history is part of the Standard check (£4.99) and the Full check (£8.99).

What the salvage check shows

• Whether the car was sold at a salvage auction, and when.
• The damage recorded at the time, such as front, rear or side, and the write-off category where it was listed.
• The mileage when it was sold, which you can compare with later MOT readings.
• The sale price and lot details, where recorded.
• Auction photos, where they're available.

Why it's worth checking as well as write-offs

A write-off check tells you a car was written off and gives you the category. That's the important headline. The salvage record fills in the detail. A Cat S car could have had a crumpled rear corner or a bent chassis leg, and the category alone won't tell you which.

Seeing the damage helps you judge the repair. If the auction photos show heavy front-end damage, you'll want to look closely at the panel gaps, the paint and the structure under the bonnet, and you'll want the repair invoices. If it was a scuffed bumper and a cracked headlight, you can relax a bit.

Photos from salvage auctions also have a habit of turning up online. A buyer who finds them after you've bought the car will expect a lower price when you come to sell.

Can you buy a car with salvage history?

Yes. Plenty of repaired cars are perfectly good, and the price should be lower to reflect their history. Cat S and Cat N cars can legally go back on the road once they're repaired; Cat A and Cat B cars can't. If you're considering one:

1. Ask the seller for photos of the damage and the repair invoices.
2. Compare them with what the salvage record shows.
3. Get an independent inspection, especially on a Cat S car.
4. Get an insurance quote before you commit.
5. Check the valuation so you don't pay a clean-car price.

Warning signs of an undisclosed repair

• Fresh paint, overspray on rubber seals, or mismatched panels.
• New headlights or bumpers on an otherwise tired car.
• A long gap in the MOT history around the time of the salvage sale.
• A seller who's vague about the car's past or keen to sell quickly.

Our guide to write-off categories explains what each category means for a repaired car.