A used-car viewing checklist: records, questions and inspection
Use this practical sequence to organise the evidence before a viewing, during an inspection and before making your decision.
Open guide →VEHICLE KNOWLEDGE CENTRE
Understand the signals.
Ask better questions.
Practical reading for the checks a report can make—and the things you still need to inspect yourself.
How to read MOT history without jumping to conclusions
Read the sequence of MOT outcomes and recorded mileage, then use it to plan questions about maintenance and present condition.
Open guide →Cat S and Cat N: the questions to ask about a recorded write-off
Understand the distinction between recorded structural and non-structural damage, then investigate the individual vehicle and its repairs.
Open guide →An outstanding-finance result: what it tells you and what to check next
Keep a database finding, a seller explanation and any finance-provider confirmation separate when researching a purchase.
Open guide →Mileage history: compare the observations, not just the headline
Use dates, units and source context to distinguish a question worth investigating from an unsupported conclusion about clocking.
Open guide →Salvage photographs: how to read historical auction evidence
Use archive images with their dates and source context. They show a moment in the past, not a complete accident record or a present-day inspection.
Open guide →Put the information to work.
Explore report packages or use the research calculators before your next viewing.