How to check my car history?
It is important to check a car's history before you buy a used car since used cars tend to have a lot of history behind them and not knowing this history can cause you to spend unnecessarily. The whole purpose of buying used cars is to avoid spending too much, and you can avoid that risk by a simple used car check.
Learn more: Check my car history
Things to consider when viewing a car
Factors that should be considered before buying a used car are several and a lot of internal and external checks must be made to ensure that it is in good working order:
Mileage Check
Mileage of the car must be checked to ensure that it is not a worn out car with lots of miles on it, sine the engine would have been worked up.
Do you think the car was in an accident?
There are things that you can look out for in a used car, look out for traces of damage and check if the vehicle was ever involved in an accident – you can do that by checking the MOT advisory, since a good vehicle chassis check can tell you about the structural damage. A good way to find out if the car was damaged would be something like inconsistent paint over the surface of the car.
Checking the cam belt
Query the last time the car’s cam belt was changed or when it’s due to be changed on the service history. Repairs to cam belts can cost thousands and will often require the installation of a whole new engine.
Does the Chassis number match?
It is important to ensure that the car’s chassis number is matched with the one on the V5C, because a lot of the times, if a car is stolen or cloned, the chassis has a mismatch and that is a sure shot indicator that you shouldn’t buy the car.
Observe the Tyre Condition
It is good to check the tyres, because they are a crucial part of the vehicle, and it must be in a good condition. If the tyres are in a bad condition they can be replaced but do note that they might cost more money than you had eventually planned out for.
There is a depth that should be checked for the tyres, a minimum legal tread depth which should be 1.6mm across the tyre width. A 20p coin would be good to check such a depth.
Always get a professional to do the car check
Getting a car history check done online is the easiest way to get good loads of information on the car that you are eyeing, because getting a consolidated information report on the car is better than searching for the details in a dissected manner. Get a full car check done to fill in to your lack of information.
Types of Car Checks you can find:
Outstanding Finance Check:
Get to know if your used car has any outstanding
finance or not, most cars are bought on finance and tend to be sold with
finance still unpaid, this can cause huge problems if the buyer is
unaware. Get outstanding finance on car to know more.
Written Off Status:
If a car goes through an accident, it may lose its roadworthiness, or this may happen due to normal wear and tear as well, but if a car is not roadworthy then it is classified as written off by an insurance agency.
Check if a car has been written off to know more.
There are 4 categories for a car write off status;
- Category A
- Category B
- Category C (Category S)
- Category D (Category N)
Stolen Status:
Used cars could have been stolen in the past and some people like to avoid buying such a car, mostly stolen cars could have been associated with crimes. Check if car is stolen before you buy.
Mileage Anomaly:
Cars are clocked, meaning that the odometer is wound up to a certain mileage to indicate that it has not been driven as much as it really has. This can make the car seem younger while it isn't, mileage clocking is illegal and there are ways to avoid mileage clocked cars. Get a Mileage history check to know more.
Total Keepers:
Get the previous keeper details for the used car to find out how many people it has crossed hands, the lesser the number of previous keepers, the better. Get a Registered keeper check to know more.
Plate Change Details:
Some cars go through a change in number plate and this could either be a genuine change or might have been done to avoid being scanned by the police. Either way, it is best to get a number plate history check to know more.
Scrapped Status:
When a car is written off, it may either be repaired back to a roadworthy condition or may be discarded and salvaged by an ATF, if a car is set to be scrapped then, it would be taken down from the DVLA register, sometimes a car set for scrapping could enter the market and this could be troublesome. Avoid buying a scrapped car, get a scrapped car check.
VIN or Chassis:
To verify the authenticity of the car, it is best to check the VIN or chassis number and match it with the V5C records, this can be very useful in avoiding stolen cars or scrapped cars. Get a VIN/Chassis Check to know more.
Car Valuation Details:
Knowing a used car's market value could help you in either selling or buying a used car, since you would be able to get an idea for what the right price may be. get a car valuation check to know more.
MOT History:
MOT history is one of the most important things to check in a used car, since it reveals everything that there is to know in the used car's history, basically everything that has to be fixed and what not. Get the MOT history check for your used car.
Car Import/Export Status:
Knowing if a car is an imported one or an exported one can help in reducing the overall cost, since insurance quotes can change depending on the origin of the vehicle. Get the Car Import/Export Status to know more.
There's more!
Head over to CarDotCheck to know more, we provide affordable used car checks to help you buy the right car. Cheers!
