Used Car Buying Guides
Practical, no-nonsense guides to checking a used car with free official data before you hand over any money.
How to Check a Car's MOT History: Free and Official (UK)
Check any UK car's MOT history free in under a minute: test results, advisories, recorded mileage and failure reasons, plus the red flags used-car buyers should look for.
What DVLA Data Tells You About a Used Car Before You Buy
The DVLA's free record on any UK car reveals tax status, SORN history, V5C dates, colour changes and more. Here's how to read each field like a used-car inspector.
How to Check if a Car Is Taxed, and What VED Will Cost You (2026/27)
Check any UK car's tax status free in seconds, plus the 2026/27 VED rates: the £200 standard rate, first-year bands, the £440 expensive car supplement and EV rules.
The Free Pre-Purchase Car Checklist: 6 Official UK Checks Before You Buy (2026)
Six free, official UK checks to run before buying a used car: MOT history, DVLA tax and vehicle record, safety recalls, insurance status, and what a write-off check actually needs (it isn't free).
The Complete DVLA Vehicle Record: Every Field Explained (2026)
All 18 fields in a UK DVLA vehicle record explained in plain English, including the ones most guides skip: type approval, wheelplan, revenue weight, Euro standard and RDE. Verified against a real live lookup.