Car ownership guides

Price is a starting point, but to help you narrow down your choices further, you need to focus on the following three factors: 

The MOT test (Ministry of Transport, or simply MOT) is an annual test of vehicle safety, roadworthiness aspects and exhaust emissions required in the United Kingdom for most vehicles over three years old.

Price is a starting point, but to help you narrow down your choices further, you need to focus on the following three factors: 

Price is a starting point, but to help you narrow down your choices further, you need to focus on the following three factors: 

It’s always important to do a car check before buying one.

To maximize the life and performance of your vehicle, here is a list of items you should check depending on the time and season. Some of these parts of your vehicle should be checked regularly, and others only in the long run. Be sure to follow your vehicle’s maintenance schedule and service interval record.

A car check will tell you whether the VRM and VIN correspond to DVLA records. If they don’t, there could be several problems with the vehicle.

The price you pay to tax your car can be determined by any number of nuances – its engine size, the year it was built, your circumstances… then factor in that various tax systems are running parallel to each other and it is easy to see why you need to be a genius to get your head around things. 

We show how much car tax you’ll need to pay on petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric cars as of April 2021, whether you still need to pay during the coronavirus pandemic, and which cars are exempt from vehicle tax.

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) which is also known as vehicle tax or car tax is an annual tax that you pay to keep your vehicle on the road legally. It’s calculated using the factors mainly, on how old your vehicle is and the emission of Co2 gases.

You may or may not have heard of the term, but Police markers could be concerning when you’re searching for your next vehicle. But don’t get too stressed, as Motorscan is on hand to give you all the information you need on what they are and what to look out for when buying your next car.

It’s not unusual to be a little wary and cautious when you’re on the lookout for a new vehicle. Let’s face it, there are plenty of scammers to be found hidden amongst reputable and honest sellers, so what can you do to limit your exposure to discovering that the gem you found is actually an unsound, defective money pit?

All you need to know about ANPR systems. What it means and how it operates. We’ve written this guide to answer any frequently asked questions you may have

It can be a minefield sorting through oodles of online information on what you can have on a number plate and what you can’t.

What’s in this guide How do I Check the Number of Previous Owners?What does the Previous Owner Check show?How to find out who Owns a Car?How many previous Owners is too many? How do I Check the Number of Previous Owners? Through our premium vehicle check, there is a section called ‘Ownership History’ where it’s […]

What’s in this guide What is an Insurance Write-Off?What are the types of Write-Off Categories?Why should you check to see if a Vehicle is Written Off?How to Check if a Car has been in an Accident?What information does a Write-Off Check include?Should you buy a vehicle that has been Written Off? What is an Insurance […]

What’s in this guide What is Outstanding Finance?How to Check if a Car is on Finance?What are the Risks of Buying a Car still on Finance?How to settle a Car if you have Finance?What are the types of Outstanding Finance?What information does an Outstanding Finance Check show? What is Outstanding Finance? Put simply; outstanding finance […]

What’s included in a Free Bike Check? Using motorscan’s free online free bike checker you can view the following information: Tax status / Tax prices MOT status and MOT history MOT statistics Mileage history Mileage anomalies Performance statistics Technical specifications Running costs Insurance group ULEZ Check When the logbook was updated Where the bike was […]

If you’ve just bought your very first car or maybe have had the luxury of a maintained company car, you might be forgiven for the lack of knowledge you have on what responsible car owners need to know. We aim to steer you through the world of car servicing and maintenance to arm you with everything you need to know.

For many of us, GAP insurance is perhaps not something we’re too familiar with and certainly, most of us wouldn’t know what it is or whether we need it. This guide is designed to uncover all the information you need to make an informed decision on whether GAP insurance is something you really can’t afford to be without when it comes to your pride and joy.