Buy a used car
with your eyes open.
Independent, jargon-free guides to the things that cost used-car buyers money: hidden write-offs, clocked mileage, outstanding finance and a misread MOT history. Then run a full check on the car you have in mind.
Write-off categories
What Cat A, B, S and N actually mean, whether the car is safe to buy, and how hard to negotiate.
Read guideCar clocking
How odometer fraud works, the tell-tale signs, and how to check a mileage history for rollbacks.
Read guideOutstanding finance
Why money still owed on a car can become your problem, and how to protect yourself before you pay.
Read guideFlood damage
Why water damage is so dangerous, how flooded cars reach the market, and the signs to check before you buy.
Read guideScrapped & cloned cars
What a Certificate of Destruction means, why scrapped and cloned cars are dangerous, and how to check.
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Buying checklist
A step-by-step run through buying a used car safely, from the first history check to handing over the money.
Read guideGood mileage
What counts as high or low mileage, how to weigh it against age, and how long cars really last.
Read guideImported cars
Parallel and personal imports, the paperwork that matters, and the extra checks before you buy one.
Read guideEV battery health
What battery state of health means, what counts as healthy, and how to check it on a used electric car.
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