Car Supermarkets – How reliable are Cazoo’s Checks?

June 25, 2022 by Zoe Hicks – 3 mins read

Cazoo is probably one of the better-known car supermarkets around; the newer modern way to buy your next car, and if you proceed, you can receive delivery of your spanking new vehicle in as little as 72 hours.

They also provide a part exchange service and, more recently, have added a subscription service where you effectively rent a vehicle for an all inclusive, flexible monthly fee.

What vehicle checks does Cazoo carry out?

As part of their standard process, Cazoo helpfully carries out a history check on vehicles they acquire to ensure a car hasn’t been written off or recorded as scrapped. They also say they complete a thorough 300 point inspection of all the vehicles they sell, from the body exterior to the full range of mechanical elements such as the engine, electrics, and brake system. This seemingly thorough inspection effectively means your new car should arrive in excellent condition aesthetically, in perfect working order and completely safe to drive. However, Cazoo don’t provide copies of these 300 point inspection reports on request, which means carrying out as much research and checks is just as vital when dealing with car supermarkets as it is when buying locally.

Does Cazoo carry out a history check on all their cars?

The company carries out a basic history check on all their cars before any vehicle appears on their website. This sounds like a company to trust, but remember they only cover the basics, so carrying out your own research and checks is essential if you’re looking to avoid buying a lemon!

What does a Cazoo history check include?

Specifically, Cazoo’s history check investigates whether any finance is outstanding on the vehicle, that it hasn’t been imported, written off or recorded as scrapped by an insurance company. Therefore, you shouldn’t rely wholly on Cazoo’s history check as it won’t cover everything, such as mileage anomalies or whether a car has been stolen.

Do Cazoo cars come with service history?

Cazoo only supplies a vehicle’s service history where that information is available. Unfortunately, some cars will be missing service history records entirely, or the official stamps confirming completion weren’t recorded. Consequently, if a full-service history is essential to you, it’s always best to ask the question before committing to purchase.

Does Cazoo sell written off cars?

In a nutshell, no. Under Cazoo’s history check, insurance company write-offs are brought to light to ensure the company doesn’t sell previously condemned or scrapped cars.

How is a Motorscan vehicle check different from a Cazoo history check?

It sounds like Cazoo does a good amount of checks before putting their vehicles up for sale. But you can’t be too safe where cars are concerned, and it’s possible that some slip through the net. With a Motorscan history check, you receive 80+ data points on a vehicle, including:

  • Check for outstanding finance via Experian
  • Check for an insurance write-off
  • Stolen Check
  • Scrappage check
  • Damage indications if a vehicle is written off
  • Salvage car auction check
  • MOT history
  • Previous keeper history
  • Mileage Anomaly
  • Import/export check
  • Plate changes

What is the best way to check car history?

For a fully comprehensive car history, Motorscan checks vehicles against multiple databases. In addition, these extensive checks allow us to quickly deliver the complete history of any car, obtaining crucial data from the DVLA Vehicle checking service, MIAFTR insurance database, the PNC and Experian in just seconds. By carrying out this type of full car history check, you can be confident you’ve done your homework.

Is it worth spending money on a car check?

With Motorscan, you can obtain basic information about a vehicle for free. This can be super helpful if all you need is to check very basic car information. However, our premium paid options bring you vital facts about a car, allowing you to double-check Cazoo’s findings against a more comprehensive report. And our 5-vehicle check option works out at just £5.99 per vehicle; that’s ultimately a very insignificant price to pay for peace of mind!

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