Car history checks explained

What each part of a car history check means: outstanding finance, insurance write-off categories, clocked mileage, MOT history and cloned cars.

Checks explained · 3 min readOutstanding finance: what happens if you buy a car that isn't paid off?Lots of used cars are sold with money still owed on them. Here's how car finance works, what the law says if you buy one by mistake, and how to protect yourself.
Checks explained · 3 min readWrite-off categories explained: Cat A, B, S and NWhat each insurance write-off category means, which written-off cars can go back on the road, and what to think about before buying a repaired one.
Checks explained · 3 min readHow to spot a clocked carClocking makes a car look less used than it is. Here's how mileage fraud works, the signs to look for, and how the MOT mileage record helps you catch it.
Checks explained · 3 min readHow to read a car's MOT historyWhat MOT failures, dangerous and major defects, and advisories tell you about a used car, and the patterns to look out for before you buy.
Checks explained · 3 min readCloned cars and plate changes: is the car what it claims to be?How car cloning works, what a private plate change on the history means, and the checks that make sure the car in front of you matches its paperwork.

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MOT history, mileage, outstanding finance, write-offs and stolen records. Confirm the car for free first.

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