UsedCarCheck.ukIndependent used-car sense checkCheck an advert

Free first-pass check for UK buyers

Spot the warning signs before you waste a journey.

Paste the advert and add the registration if you have it. Used Car Check combines advert-language analysis, known model problems and official DVSA records to highlight warning signs before you travel.

Check this car See exactly what gets checked
Two used-car buyers inspecting an open engine bay on a British street

Example report

2017 Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI

Official MOT included

62

High risk

Mileage is high for age and the model has a known timing-chain concern.

Advert mileage matches the latest MOT record.

Free to useNo accountOfficial DVSA vehicle data with a registrationAdvert text is not stored

How it works

  1. 1

    Paste the advert

    Copy the listing from AutoTrader, Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace.

  2. 2

    Add details (optional)

    Mileage, MOT and service history make the score sharper.

  3. 3

    Read the report

    Risk score, red flags, model issues and questions to ask — instantly.

Basic report

Add the registration to compare the advert with official DVSA MOT mileage, expiry, failures, advisories and recall data. UsedCarCheck.uk does not store it or send it to analytics.

No data stored UK-focused Free & instant

Transparent by design

What the report actually checks

This is a first-pass sense check, not a mechanical inspection or a full finance and write-off history report. The useful bit is knowing exactly where each warning comes from.

Advert language

What the seller says — and leaves out

Used Car Check looks for suspicious phrases, weak explanations and important details that are missing from the listing.

Model knowledge

Problems associated with this make and model

Known faults are matched against the stated vehicle and turned into practical questions for the seller.

Official MOT history

Claims checked against DVSA records

Add the registration to compare mileage, MOT expiry, failures, advisories and recall information when available.

Words worth questioning

The advert often tells you where to look.

Used Car Check recognises hundreds of common phrases and turns them into specific questions you can ask before committing to a journey.

“Easy fix”

If it is genuinely easy and cheap, ask why the seller has not fixed it.

“Sold as seen”

A phrase worth understanding before you assume it removes all of your rights.

“Just needs a sensor”

Ask for the diagnostic code and evidence behind that diagnosis before travelling.

Practical buying guides

Know what to look for when you get there.

View every guide