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Buying a car

Questions to ask when buying a used car

Good questions do two jobs. The answers tell you about the car. The way a seller answers tells you about the sale. Ask the first few before you travel and the rest with the car in front of you.

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What should I ask when buying a used car?

Ask for the registration and the MOT test number before you travel, along with how long the seller has owned the car and why they are selling. At the viewing, ask for the V5C logbook and the service history. Ask what became of any MOT advisories. Before you pay, ask whether any finance is outstanding and check it.

Before you travel

AskWhy
What is the registration and the MOT test number?You need both before a viewing, GOV.UK says. The registration is all the free check needs.
How long have you owned it?The date on the V5C logbook should agree with the answer. A short time is worth a follow-up question.
Why are you selling?Listen for a reason that fits. A car sold soon after it was bought can have a fault that keeps returning.
Is there any finance left to pay on it?If money is still owed, the lender may own the car. Check the answer before you pay.
Has it ever been written off?A repaired write-off can be a fair buy at the right price, as long as you know about it.
Is the logbook in your name at the address where I will see the car?Seeing the car where its keeper lives tells you who you are dealing with.

Run the free check on a registrationGOV.UK: Check a used vehicle you’re buyingCat S and Cat N cars

At the viewing

  1. Ask to see the V5C logbook. Citizens Advice says to get the original rather than a photocopy. It also says never to buy a car without one.
  2. Ask about the service history. Stamps or invoices should come at regular intervals with the mileage climbing on each.
  3. Ask how each advisory on the last MOT was dealt with. Ask to see the invoices.
  4. Ask how many keys come with the car. A missing key is worth a question.
  5. Ask whether any warning lights have come on lately, then watch the dashboard as the engine starts.
  6. Ask for a test drive. Citizens Advice says you should definitely take one. Check you are insured first.

Citizens Advice: Buying a used carWhat to look for on a V5CReading MOT advisories

Questions the record raises

The MOT history raises questions that apply to this car and no other.

  • A gap in the MOT years: where was the car? Citizens Advice says to ask about any gap and not to go ahead if the history makes you suspicious.
  • A mileage reading lower than the one before: what happened to the odometer?
  • The same advisory at several tests: why was it never fixed?
  • A V5C issued in the last few weeks: has the keeper only just changed?

The Car Health Check writes these questions for you from the car’s own record.

Check the mileage recordPrevious owners checkSee what each report includes

Before you pay

  1. Ask the seller to confirm in writing that no finance is owed. Then check it yourself, because finance agreements are kept on records the DVLA doesn’t hold.
  2. Ask whether the price allows for anything the advisories said is due.
  3. Ask for a receipt with the price, the date, the registration and both your names.
  4. Ask the seller to tell the DVLA about the sale and to hand you the green new keeper slip.

Outstanding finance checkGOV.UK: If you buy or sell a vehicle

Answers that should make you wait

  • The seller won’t give you the registration before you travel.
  • The seller would rather meet in a car park than at home.
  • How long they say they have owned it doesn’t match the logbook.
  • You are pushed to pay a deposit before you have seen the car.
  • The seller is vague about finance or about a write-off.

None of these proves anything by itself. Each one is a reason to slow down and check before any money changes hands.

FAQ

Questions people ask

What is the most important question to ask a car seller?

Whether any finance is outstanding, because the lender may still own a car with money left to pay on it. Ask it, then check it: the answer is only as good as the seller’s honesty.

Should I ask a dealer the same questions?

Most of them. A dealer should be able to show the service history and confirm the finance is clear. You usually have more legal protection buying from a trader, so ask what comes with the sale too.

What should I ask about the MOT?

Ask for the MOT test number, then read the MOT history yourself. For each advisory on the latest test, find out if the work was done and by whom.

Is it rude to ask why someone is selling?

No. Sellers expect it. A plain reason that fits the car’s record is a good sign. Hesitation is worth noting.

Can I ask the seller who owned the car before?

You can ask, but nobody has to tell you and car checks never show names. The number of previous keepers is on the V5C logbook.

Outstanding finance checkWhether money is still owed on the car, before you pay.In the CAR Confidence ScoreV5C logbook checkWhen the logbook was last issued, plus how to check the one you’re shown.FreePrevious owners checkHow many keepers a car has had, before you become the next one.In the CAR Confidence Score

More guides

How to use CAR ConfidenceThe three steps of a car search: research, shortlist, buy.Using CAR ConfidenceHow to use GeorgeHow to read George’s verdict and get his voice note on WhatsApp.Using CAR ConfidenceWhat to check when buying a used carA checklist in the order you’d use it: before you travel, at the viewing, before you pay.Buying a car

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