Guides
Everything we know about checking cars, written down. No jargon, no scare tactics: just what to look for and why it matters.
How to check a car's MOT history (and actually read it)
The test record is free to look up and most buyers never read past the pass/fail line. The interesting part is everything underneath it.
Car clocking: how to spot a wound-back odometer
A £100 gadget can take 60,000 miles off a digital dash in minutes. The paper trail is much harder to wind back.
RegistrationsUK number plate formats, explained
A reg plate quietly tells you where a car was registered and roughly when. Here's how to decode all five formats still on the road.
BuyingA used car checklist you'll actually use
Most checklists are ninety items of padding. These are the checks that actually stop people buying the wrong car.
Write-offsCat N and Cat S write-offs, explained
A write-off marker isn't automatically a death sentence; sometimes it's a cracked bumper on a slow news day for the insurer.
TaxCar tax, explained without the spreadsheet headache
Three different tax systems are running at once, and which one applies depends entirely on when the car was first registered.
StolenHow to check if a car is stolen (before it's your problem)
If you buy a stolen car, the police return it to the real owner and you're left chasing a seller who has vanished. Prevention is everything.
PaperworkThe V5C logbook: what it proves, and what it really doesn't
Printed on the front of every V5C: "this document is not proof of ownership". Most buyers never read that line.
FinanceOutstanding finance on a used car, explained
Around one used car in five on the market still has money owing on it. Buy the wrong one and the finance company can repossess it from your driveway.
ElectricBuying a used electric car without the guesswork
On a used EV the battery is the engine, the gearbox and half the price all at once. Judge the car on that and the rest gets simpler.
ImportsImported cars: what the paperwork does and doesn't tell you
An import can be the same car for less money, or a spec you can't insure with a history that stops at the border. Knowing which is which is the whole game.
RegistrationsTransferring a private number plate, step by step
Moving a personal plate isn't hard, but one missed step (an expired retention, a car that's not taxed) and you're stuck. Here's the order to do it in.
BuyingBuying a car at auction without getting burned
At auction the hammer is the contract: no test drive, usually no warranty, no returns. The winning is the easy part; the homework is what saves you.
InsuranceCar insurance groups, explained
Two cars the same price can be a world apart on insurance. The group number is the clue most buyers ignore until the quote lands.
BuyingCar warranties, explained: what's actually covered
Not all warranties are the same animal. One is a manufacturer standing behind the car; the other is an insurance policy with a claims department hoping you won't read the exclusions.
SellingPart-exchange or sell privately? The honest maths
The convenient option and the profitable option are rarely the same one. The gap between a part-ex figure and a private sale is where the decision lives.
BuyingDealer or private seller? Know your rights before you buy
Buy a dud from a dealer and the law has your back. Buy the same dud privately and you're largely on your own. The seller matters as much as the car.
InsuranceDashcam footage and insurance claims: what really counts
A good clip can turn a your-word-against-theirs claim into an open and shut one. A badly set-up camera just records the sky and the time wrong.
Write-offsWhen is a car worth repairing? The write-off decision, explained
A write-off isn't about whether a car can be fixed; almost anything can. It's about whether the sums add up for the insurer, which is a very different question.
Running costsPetrol, electric or hybrid: what actually costs less to run?
The cheapest car to run isn't always the obvious one; it depends on your mileage, where you charge, and how long you keep it. Here's how to work out your own answer.
TaxHow to tax a car you've just bought
The seller's tax is refunded the day they sell, which means the car is untaxed from the second you own it. Here's how to fix that before you drive off.
BuyingFree vs paid car history checks: what do you actually need?
Most bad cars die on the free checks; the paid ones exist for three flags nothing public will show you. Which tier to use, and when to spend the £20.