Check the records before you travel
Start with the free check. Type the car's registration number into the free car check. You'll see its MOT history, which goes back to 2005, and the mileage recorded at each test. Look for a drop in mileage between tests, the classic sign of clocking. Repeated advisories on tyres or brakes also show what you may soon have to pay for.
Pay for the Full Check before you hand over money. At £9.99, the Full Check covers finance, stolen and write-off records. Finance matters because on hire purchase or PCP, the finance company owns the car until the last payment. For write-offs, Category A and B cars should never be back on the road. Category S and N cars can be repaired and driven, but you must tell your insurer.
If a record doesn't add up, walk away. Walking away now saves you a wasted trip. Once the records look clean, you're ready to see the car itself, in daylight.
Inspect the car
Look at the car in daylight before you touch anything. Start with the tyres: the legal minimum is 1.6mm of tread across the central three-quarters, and tyres cracking or perishing are a common MOT advisory. Check the VIN on the windscreen and door pillar matches the V5C. Then test every light, since lights and electrics are the area that fails most, at 9.9% of tests.
Under the bonnet, look for oil or coolant leaks, and check the brake discs for wear or pitting, a common advisory. Brake pads fail below 1.5mm, so ask when they were last changed if the discs look worn. Inside, check the mileage matches the records you've already seen, and that the warning lights clear once the engine runs.
On the test drive, listen for knocks over bumps and feel for pulling to one side when you brake. Suspension is the second most common area of MOT failure, at 7.9% of tests. If anything feels wrong, ask the seller to explain or have a garage look before you agree a price. For the full list, see our used car checklist.
Check the paperwork and pay safely
Match the V5C to the seller before you pay anything. The V5C logbook shows the registered keeper, not the legal owner, so the name and address on it should match the seller's photo ID. If they don't, ask why before you go any further.
Check the VIN in three places. It's 17 characters and should match on the windscreen, the door pillar and the V5C. VINs never use the letters I, O or Q, so if you see one, treat it as a warning sign. If the car is on finance, the finance company still owns it until the last payment, so check that first.
Ask for a receipt and the service history. The receipt should name the seller, the car's registration, the price and the date. Pay by bank transfer, not cash, so there's a record of the payment. Never hand over money before you have the car and its paperwork in your hands.