Buy Your Next Car With Confidence
36 free, plain-English guides that decode the jargon and warning signs — so you know exactly what to check before you hand over any money.
Car Jargon Explained
Decode the terms you see on adverts and history checks — Cat S, Cat N, HPI clear and more.
What Does Cat S Mean When Buying a Car?
Cat S (Category S) means a car was written off by an insurer after suffering structural damage — to the chassis or fr...
Read guideWhat Does Cat N Mean on a Car?
Cat N (Category N) means a car was written off by an insurer after non-structural damage — such as electrics, cosmeti...
Read guideWhat's the Difference Between Cat C and Cat D Cars?
Cat C and Cat D are the old insurance write-off categories used before October 2017. Cat C meant repairable damage wh...
Read guideWhat Is a Cat B Car?
A Cat B (Category B) car is an insurance write-off with damage so severe the vehicle must never return to the road. T...
Read guideWhat Does HPI Clear Mean?
HPI clear means a vehicle history check found no major red flags — no outstanding finance, no theft record, no insura...
Read guideWhat Does Write-Off Category Mean? All Categories Explained
A write-off category tells you why an insurer declared a car a total loss and whether it can return to the road. The ...
Read guideIs It Safe to Buy?
Outstanding finance, written-off cars and the risks worth knowing before you hand over cash.
Can You Buy a Car With Outstanding Finance?
You can, but it's risky. If a car still has outstanding finance, it legally belongs to the finance company — not the ...
Read guideIs It Illegal to Sell a Car on Finance?
Selling a car that still has outstanding finance is generally not allowed — the finance company owns it until the deb...
Read guideWhat Happens If I Buy a Car Still on Finance?
If you buy a car that still has finance, the finance company can repossess it because they legally own it until the d...
Read guideCan You Insure a Cat N Car?
Yes, you can insure a Cat N car. Most mainstream UK insurers will cover a properly repaired Cat N vehicle, though you...
Read guideIs a Cat S Car Worth Buying?
A Cat S car can be worth buying if the structural repairs were done properly and the discount reflects the risk. They...
Read guideCan You Get Finance on a Cat N Car?
You can sometimes get finance on a Cat N car, but options are limited. Many mainstream lenders won't fund insurance w...
Read guideHow to Check a Car
Step-by-step guides to verify finance, mileage, previous owners and theft status.
How to Check if a Car Has Outstanding Finance
The only reliable way to check for outstanding finance is to run a vehicle history check using the registration. It q...
Read guideHow to Tell if a Car Has Been in an Accident
To tell if a car has been in an accident, check for uneven panel gaps, mismatched paint, overspray, new parts on an o...
Read guideHow to Check Previous Owners of a Car
You can check the number of previous keepers using a vehicle history check, which shows how many registered keepers a...
Read guideHow to Check if a Van Is Stolen
To check if a van is stolen, run a vehicle history check using the registration — it queries the Police National Comp...
Read guideHow to Check a Car's Mileage Is Genuine
To check a car's mileage is genuine, compare the odometer reading against the mileage recorded at every MOT — it shou...
Read guideHow to Check if a Car Is Stolen for Free
There's no free public database that confirms a car is stolen, but you can reduce risk for free by verifying the V5C,...
Read guideSpotting a Dodgy Car
The warning signs of clocking, cloning and cars that are hiding something.
Signs a Car Has Been Clocked
The main signs a car has been clocked are: mileage that drops or jumps between MOT records, physical wear that doesn'...
Read guideSigns a Car Is Stolen
Warning signs a car may be stolen include a price that's too good to be true, a seller who won't meet at their home a...
Read guideHow to Spot a Cloned Car
To spot a cloned car, check the VIN on the vehicle matches the V5C logbook and hasn't been tampered with, confirm the...
Read guideWhat to Check Before Buying a Used Car From a Private Seller
Before buying privately, check the V5C matches the seller and address, run a vehicle history check for finance, theft...
Read guideUsed Car Warning Signs: When to Walk Away
Walk away from a used car if the seller won't show the V5C, the VIN doesn't match, the price is unrealistically low, ...
Read guideMOT History Explained
How to read an MOT record, what advisories mean and how far the history goes back.
How Far Back Does MOT History Go?
Online MOT history in the UK goes back to 2005, when records were digitised. You can see every test — pass, fail, mil...
Read guideWhat Is an Advisory on an MOT?
An MOT advisory is a note from the tester flagging a component that's wearing or developing a fault but isn't yet bad...
Read guideCan You Sell a Car With No MOT?
Yes, you can legally sell a car with no MOT. However, the buyer can't drive it on public roads until it has a valid M...
Read guideHow to Read MOT History
To read MOT history, work through each test from oldest to newest and check three things: the mileage at each test ri...
Read guideDoes MOT History Show Mileage?
Yes. MOT history records the odometer reading at every test since 2005. Comparing these readings in date order is one...
Read guideTax & Ownership
Previous keepers, the V5C logbook, tax and registration questions answered.
How Many Previous Owners Is Too Many?
There's no fixed limit, but as a rough guide one keeper every two to three years is normal. Several keepers in a shor...
Read guideHow to Find Out if a Car Is Taxed and Insured
You can check if a car is taxed for free using the government's vehicle enquiry service with the registration. Insura...
Read guideHow to Check When a Car Was First Registered
You can check a car's first registration date for free using the government vehicle enquiry service, or via a vehicle...
Read guideWhat Is a V5C Logbook?
The V5C logbook is the official DVLA document that records a vehicle's registered keeper and key details like make, m...
Read guideSomething Went Wrong
Already bought a car with a problem? Know your rights and your next move.
Bought a Car With Outstanding Finance — What Can I Do?
If you unknowingly bought a car with outstanding finance, you may keep it under the Hire Purchase Act if you bought p...
Read guideBought a Car That Turned Out to Be Cat S — What Now?
If you bought a car later found to be Cat S and the write-off wasn't disclosed, you may have grounds to return it — e...
Read guideSeller Won't Show the V5C — What Should I Do?
If a seller won't show the V5C logbook, treat it as a serious warning sign and be prepared to walk away. A missing or...
Read guideThe Car I Bought Was Clocked — What Are My Rights?
If you bought a clocked car that was sold without disclosing the true mileage, you likely have a claim. From a dealer...
Read guideReady to check a car?
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