Why should you do a car history check before buying a used vehicle?

November 2, 2021 by Zoe Hicks – 9 mins read

A car history check can be one of the most necessary things you do earlier than shopping for a used car. Search classifieds and meeting dealers will help to decide on your new used car purchase. After all, a vehicle is one of the most important purchases you can make.

You may not be able to find the exact past incidents that happened for your dream car by just an overall look. But remember, each used vehicle has at least a few secrets. If you’re now not careful, you may additionally be the sufferer of a used vehicle scam. 

Thus the car history check is a necessary step in the used car shopping process. Now we can discuss what it involves. Read this article and discover why you should do a car history check before buying a used vehicle.

What is a car history check?

A Vehicle Check is a record that indicates the history of a car along with the number of preceding owners, date of first registration, mileage details, and different key details. Information is gathered from several sources along with the police database, DVLA, insurance plan companies, and finance houses. 

A history check is an examination of the car’s historical past performed to find any lacking data now not furnished with the aid of the seller. It is called in several names like registration check, vehicle MOT check, a DVLA check. The most fundamental kind of vehicle check is an MOT record check. While this gives an overview of a car’s service history, there are a few different matters that this doesn’t cover. Some dealers may hide these details. Such as if a vehicle used to be stolen, written off, or has outstanding finance, this can be an attempt to make extra money. A complete car history check can disclose all of this and lots more. 

Is it necessary to do a car history check?

Car history checks are also an important part of the process of negotiation. It can inform you precisely what you want to comprehend so you can put ahead to the fairest charge possible. Not only it helps in the negotiation part of the negotiation, a car check additionally assists you to make the proper decision whether or not to buy a second-hand car. That’s because some used vehicles simply aren’t worth the money, or greater importance, the trouble they may deliver into your life. 

Car history checks provide peace of mind when shopping for a used car, as they can be used to make certain the vehicle fits the description and that you’re paying an honest price. You can test whether or not the automobile has had any paint adjustments or repairs done to the vehicle.

We’ve all heard instances of cars being stolen. But did you know, as soon as these vehicles get stolen, many discover their way back to the market with a change in identity? If you shop for such a stolen car, the police can catch it. Besides instances of used vehicles being stolen, some are clocked – the mileage recorded is decreased to extend the car’s value, or cloned – a car is given a registration number of another car with the same make and model. If you purchase a used car with pending finance payments, you’ll inherit any pending debt, and it’ll be your duty to settle the debt. The Vehicle Check-in 2020, it was once determined that:

  • 1 in 6 automobiles had outstanding finance
  • 2873 motors had mileage anomalies
  • 1 in 10 automobiles used to be written-off
  • 79,390 automobiles have been said stolen in 2020, as per Police National Computer (PNC)

 

Can you trust the seller’s words?

Some dealers may not be truthful. So it is necessary to check if the important points furnished with the aid of the seller don’t fit by the vehicle registration check. The number of previous owners can be hidden. They will do this to disguise the truth that the automobile has had several problems and consequently been exceeded by using many unsuspecting buyers. 

How does outstanding finance affect you?

Some vehicles sold are owned by the finance company, now not the seller. If the seller doesn’t want to disclose this information, you may want to abruptly discover yourself paying off their mortgage for them via a greater asking price. Alternatively, you should stop paying an honest asking rate solely to locate out you now have a finance agency chasing you for the last payments.

Stolen cars

When shopping for a used car, the remaining factor that has to be checked is the involvement in a crime. The after-effects can be much worse than you expect, as you will most probably quit dropping the vehicle along with what you’ve paid for it. In such a situation it is better to stroll away from the vehicle. A car history check takes a look at if a vehicle has been said as stolen and even if there have been any police complaints towards it.

Car’s mileage

There are in fact, a few approaches devious can fudge the numbers when it comes to a vehicle’s mileage. The most frequent of these entails ‘clocking’ a car’s mileage through turning back the mileage clock however there are additionally hiding the truth that a vehicle has exceeded the 100000-mile mark. Again, a correct car check will expose any mileage discrepancies.

Write-off record

This check is essential for safety. In some cases, a vehicle would possibly be written off via the insurance plan business enterprise or declared as a total loss. It’s too ancient or too damaged to drive safely. By no longer disclosing this form of information, the vendor is putting you up for shopping for a vehicle you may then want to get rid of.

How to do a Car History Check?

Doing some easy assessments on our site will minimize your possibilities of shopping for a vehicle that’s being bought illegally or has had the most important repairs. It takes only a few minutes.

You can ask the seller for the cars:

  • Registration number 
  • MOT check number
  • Mileage
  • Make and model

Use the data checker to make certain what the vendor tells you suits the DVLA’s records. If some of the minor important points don’t match, you can ask the seller to make it clear – it would possibly be a minor mistake. But if you’re suspicious that the vendor gave you faux details then you shouldn’t purchase the car.

Is your dealer trustworthy?

You should look for a well-established firm with a true reputation. You must also look for a trade association sign. And always look for a dealer whose vehicles have been inspected with the aid of an independent engineer or motoring organization.

Used car from an auction

Auctions are probably the riskiest way of shopping for a used car. You in all likelihood won’t have the safety that you have if you purchase via a dealer. Make certain you study the terms and stipulations of enterprise cautiously earlier than making a move.

There are steps you can take to assist you to keep away from shopping for an automobile that’s been badly damaged, stolen, or illegally altered. They’ll additionally certainly assist you to get an automobile that doesn’t ruin it. Doing the check can assist you to come out of it.

 

What does a Car History Check include?

Buying a used car by not checking its history puts your cash and your security at risk. Safety first. Vehicle history check takes a look at the car’s historical past and tells you if the vehicle is stolen, has debt, is written-off or scraped, any third-party hint risk, number plate or shade changes, imported or exported, and range of preceding owners.

Mileage check ensures that the mileage recorded is right and now not tampered with and decreased to make the deal seem to be greater alluring. The legal requirement helps in maintaining you out of criminal hassle by checking that the car is legally allowed to be pushed. And you can do your car air pollution with the vehicle check, you can comprehend the car’s Co2 emissions, effect on the environment.

You can get a detailed description of the car specifications such as the car’s make, model, color, and transmission, several gears, gas type, physique type, and engine capability. Check if the car has been recalled due to the fact of a serious security issue. Servicing isn’t the sole thing of a car’s previous thing you’ll desire to check. 

What documents have to be checked?

Scan through the V5C logbook and test if the registered owners’ address is identical to the address of the place you’re viewing the automobile. If the keeper’s registration details do not match with the place you are viewing the vehicle it’s time to ask some questions.

There are motives presented as to why a vehicle is now not registered in the seller’s identity and at their domestic address. It can be the owner’s relations car, he might be selling it on their behalf. This can be a legitimate reason but it is not that common. Any reason pointing towards a mistake by DVLA and the owner forgetting to get it corrected can be a very suspicious reason. There are several reasons like this but whatever the given reason is you must consider it carefully.

How are Service records important?

All vehicles do have a service schedule. It is set out by the manufacturer. Usually, a service is due once a year, and it can vary depending on the model and make. Scan through the service records and look at when the car was last serviced. If the vehicle has a cambelt located out when it used to be finally changed and take a look at it for an invoice to show it. Look via preceding MOTs and the advisory sections on the right-hand side, in particular for the current MOT. 

Services won’t be skipped by careful owners. So you can find it out by checking the service book whether the car has been serviced on time. If the car is on the road for many years if one or two missed services is not an issue but you can include this while you ask the price for a car. So it’s better to buy a used car with a full-service history.

Car check for the future

Using our platform you can check your car history and the exposed hidden past will help you to have peace of mind, we advise our immediate vehicle check which will spotlight a lot of car information, mainly the records of the vehicle, such as several preceding owners, MOT popularity and history, plate changes, gasoline type, engine quantity engine dimension and what have to the logbook seem to be like. All you want is the registration number and just try it today.

Don’t take the seller’s phrase for granted and find info regarding the car online to take with you when inspecting a vehicle. The net has changed the used automobile market. Now, in the area of a few clicks online, you can get a listing of all the corresponding motors ranked through price, mileage, and even the distance of the seller from your house, frequently presenting pics and financing alternatives too. Unfortunately, this comfort goes each way: when shopping privately, motors are normally sold as seen, however, even when dealing with an expert it’s necessary to be vigilant.

 

 

 

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