MOT & mileage
Understand MOT history, advisories, defects, mileage patterns and the warning signs worth investigating before you buy.
Open MOT history check →MyPlateCheck guides
Useful vehicle advice before you buy.
Clear UK car-buying guides designed to help you understand the records behind a vehicle, the risks worth checking and what to verify before money changes hands.
▱Buying guides⌕MOT & mileage◴Finance & history✓Avoid costly mistakes
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Guides connected to the vehicle checks that matter.
Each topic feeds into the relevant MyPlateCheck vehicle-information page so you can understand the issue first, then check the registration when you are ready.
Finance, ownership & identity
Learn what finance markers, V5C details, VIN checks, keeper changes and plate history can mean during a used-car purchase.
Open finance check →Write-off, stolen & salvage history
Use insurance, stolen and salvage guidance to understand the deeper risks that may not appear in a basic MOT or tax lookup.
Open vehicle history check →Buying, tax & value
Practical buying checklists plus tax, SORN, valuation and price context for deciding whether a car deserves a closer look.
Open used-car check →Looking for the checker rather than an article?Browse all vehicle checks →
All guides
Used-car research library.
Read the topic that matches the question you are trying to answer, then follow the contextual links into the relevant vehicle check.
Car Valuation vs Asking Price: Why Are They Different?
Why a used car can sit above or below a valuation estimate and which factors buyers should compare before negotiating.
Read guide →Buying guidesWhat Should You Check Before Paying a Deposit on a Used Car?
The minimum vehicle, seller and payment checks to complete before sending a deposit for a used car.
Read guide →Buying guidesQuestions to Ask a Used-Car Seller Before You View the Car
Useful questions that can expose inconsistencies before you travel to view a used car or pay a deposit.
Read guide →Buying guidesWhat to Check When Buying a Car Privately in the UK
A private-sale checklist covering seller identity, V5C, VIN, MOT, mileage, finance, history, inspection and payment.
Read guide →Buying guidesUsed Car Price Too Good to Be True? Warning Signs to Check
What to investigate when a used car is priced well below comparable vehicles and why a cheap price can signal hidden history or urgency tactics.
Read guide →Tax & DVLAWhy Check a Car's CO2 Emissions Before Buying?
How CO2 data can help explain vehicle tax, compare models and understand a used car's official emissions figure.
Read guide →Tax & DVLAHow Is Car Tax Cost Calculated in the UK?
A buyer-friendly overview of why vehicle tax cost can vary by registration date, emissions, fuel type and vehicle rules.
Read guide →Tax & DVLABuying a SORN Car: What Should You Check?
What SORN means for collection, MOT, tax, insurance and condition when buying a vehicle that has been off the road.
Read guide →Vehicle dataVIN Check Before Buying a Used Car: What Should Match?
How to compare the VIN with the V5C, vehicle identity and documents before buying a used car.
Read guide →Vehicle dataWhy Has a Car Had Previous Number Plates?
Why registration changes are often legitimate, how private plates affect history and when repeated changes deserve questions.
Read guide →Finance & ownershipHow Many Previous Owners Is Too Many on a Used Car?
How keeper history should influence a used-car decision and why the pattern matters more than a single owner count.
Read guide →Finance & ownershipWhat Does a V5C Logbook Actually Prove?
Understand what the V5C records, what it does not prove and why buyers should still check finance and vehicle identity.
Read guide →Vehicle historyHow to Check If a Car Is Stolen or Cloned Before Buying
Practical identity checks for spotting stolen or cloned vehicles, including registration, VIN, V5C and seller inconsistencies.
Read guide →Finance & ownershipCan a Private Seller Sell a Car That Is Still on Finance?
What buyers should understand when a private seller says finance will be settled as part of the vehicle sale.
Read guide →Finance & ownershipWhat Happens If You Buy a Car With Outstanding Finance?
Why unresolved finance can create serious buyer risk and what to verify before transferring money for a used car.
Read guide →Vehicle historyDoes Cat N Affect Insurance and Resale Value?
How Category N history can influence insurance, buyer demand and the price you may achieve when selling the car later.
Read guide →Vehicle historyCat S vs Cat N: What's the Difference?
Understand the difference between Category S and Category N insurance write-offs when comparing repaired used cars.
Read guide →Vehicle historyBuying a Cat S Car: What Should You Check?
A practical checklist for assessing a Category S car, including structural repairs, evidence, inspection and value.
Read guide →MileageIs Low Mileage Always Better on a Used Car?
Why a low odometer reading is only one part of assessing a used car and what long periods of limited use can mean.
Read guide →MileageMOT Mileage Discrepancy: What Does It Mean?
Understand why MOT mileage can appear inconsistent and how to investigate possible clocking, entry mistakes or instrument changes.
Read guide →MOT & maintenanceCan You Drive a Car Without an MOT in the UK?
Understand the practical MOT position when buying, collecting or arranging a test for a used vehicle in the UK.
Read guide →MOT & maintenanceMajor, Minor and Dangerous MOT Defects Explained
A buyer-focused explanation of major, minor and dangerous MOT defects and what each result means when reviewing a used car.
Read guide →MOT & maintenanceMOT Advisories Explained: Which Ones Matter When Buying a Used Car?
Learn how to read MOT advisories, spot repeated maintenance warnings and decide which issues deserve closer inspection before buying.
Read guide →Vehicle dataDVLA and DVSA Vehicle Data Explained for Car Buyers
Understand the different jobs of DVLA and DVSA vehicle information and how public data fits into a wider used-car history check.
Read guide →Buying guidesUsed Car Buying Checklist: What to Check Before You Pay
A practical UK used-car checklist covering vehicle identity, history, MOT, mileage, finance, inspection, paperwork and the test drive.
Read guide →Vehicle historySalvage and Auction History: What Used-Car Buyers Should Know
Why historic salvage or auction records can add useful context when assessing previous damage, repairs and a used car's asking price.
Read guide →Vehicle historyStolen Car Checks: What to Verify Before Buying Used
Learn the identity and history checks that help reduce the risk of buying a stolen or cloned vehicle.
Read guide →Finance & ownershipWhy an Outstanding Finance Check Matters Before Buying a Car
Understand why outstanding vehicle finance is a major used-car risk and what to do if a history check identifies a finance agreement.
Read guide →Vehicle historyInsurance Write-Off Categories Explained for Used-Car Buyers
Understand Category A, B, S and N insurance write-offs and the questions to ask when considering a previously damaged vehicle.
Read guide →Tax & DVLAHow to Check a Car's Tax Status and SORN Before Buying
Understand vehicle tax and SORN status, what happens to tax when a car is sold and what a buyer should verify before driving away.
Read guide →MileageCar Mileage Checks: Warning Signs of a Clocked Car
A practical guide to checking recorded mileage and spotting inconsistencies before buying a used vehicle in the UK.
Read guide →MOT & maintenanceHow to Check MOT History Before Buying a Used Car
Learn what a UK MOT history can reveal about mileage, recurring defects, advisories and how well a used car may have been maintained.
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