Buying a used car well doesn’t have to be a complex process. Performing a few checks before signing on the dotted line can avoid buying in haste, repenting at leisure. The paperwork should include legal documents as well as maintenance records. Here’s what you need to see to know your purchase is safe, and what’s to look for in the service history.
Most recent cars keep paperwork to a minimum, with service records online and long service intervals – but with an older car you could be faced with a folder full of documents, invoices and receipts. Trying to take all those in while buying a car could distract you from the important stuff such as outstanding finance or incorrect owner details.
Which bits of paper do you really need to look out for when you’re buying a used car? To make sure that you don’t buy a car that’s been stolen, written off, or unloved, follow our guide on how to check the key pieces of paperwork.
Quick guide – vital car documents checklist
- The MoT certificate – evidence that the car has passed a mandatory check of minimum standards for use on the road. Expires annually and applies after a car is three years old, cars over 40 years old are exempt. An online record is sufficient, as long as the registration, car and VIN match.
- The V5C or logbook – proof of car’s identity and registered keeper, also verifies emissions status.
- Proof of finance settlement or evidence of clear title – such as an HPI check.
- A service history – evidence of past repairs and maintenance, vital if the car is under warranty.
Before test driving a car on the road you will also want to make sure it is insured, even if your own insurance includes road risk/third-party cover for driving other vehicles (usually only applicable to policyholder and not named drivers). If the car is not insured your driving other cars extension doesn’t apply – and don’t take it for granted that a dealer will have insurance. Ask them to check on askMID that the car’s registration is showing as covered.
The seller should also ask to see licence and insurance to make sure you are legally allowed to drive the car or van you want to test.
Before buying: get an MoT history check
While the MoT test is not a thorough inspection of a car’s mechanical condition, it is a legal requirement for it to be used on the road. Cars over 40 years old are currently exempt, and nearly all vehicles over three years old are required to have this annual test.
Without an MoT the car you are buying may not be legal, and it’s a low cost process with garages all over the country able to perform the checks. A seller claiming ‘it’ll fly through and pass’ probably knows it won’t if they haven’t spent the small fee and hour’s time to get one before sale.
Although the MoT lasts a year, it is not a guarantee of roadworthiness – it reflects the car as tested, and some dealers may do things like swapping wheels with good tyres from another car to get a pass. Even with a full MoT you should check the car you are buying as critically as if it had one week remaining.
Paper MoT certificates have all but disappeared, with details online and centralised. In 2015 the DVSA completely overhauled the access to MoT records, making it possible for any potential buyer to see the recent test history of a car including passes, fails, advisories and crucially, the mileage over several years.
Before enquiring about a car, as long as you can see the numberplate, you can check the MoT history online and make a note of anything interesting in the history – perhaps long periods of disuse, unusually high or low mileages, or items like corrosion that show up as regular advisory items. It will also let you see when the next MoT is due, and give a vague idea of how much work may be needed if past advisories have been ignored. We would not buy a car with less than three months remaining unless it was much cheaper than other examples on the market.
From July 2023 the DVLA includes an additional section showing outstanding vehicle recalls on the MoT certificate, ensuring new owners will be aware if any safety modifications need to be carried out. An outstanding recall is not a reason to worry, as the manufacturer covers the cost of replacing parts or making modifications.
While checking the MoT will confirm that the MoT and number relate to that make, model and colour of car, it isn’t proof that the test relates to the car you are buying – it could be a ‘cloned’ car. You will be able to verify that when you can see the car’s VIN (usually visible through the windscreen and on various ID plates) and check it against the logbook.
MoT advisories – a shortcut when checking a used car
Most cars will have one or two advisories, and some are more concerning than others. To save time, only worry about most consumable items if they are in the last three to five years. Anything older could have been replaced several times, depending on mileage. The only one worth tracking over a full MoT history is corrosion, which indicates the progress and treatment of rust.
- Tyres – perished or worn. If these show up, look in the receipts for new tyres around that time.
- Windscreen defects – is there a bill from Autoglass or similar in there after they were noted?
- Brake pipes and other consumables – often an advisory for grease on pipes is nothing to worry about.
- Corrosion – if an advisory disappears, is there an invoice or receipt for remedial work?
- Lights – lens or reflector condition can be refurbished without new parts.
- Suspension bushes, springs and dampers – did the advisory go the next year because it was fixed?
The mileage of a car is recorded at every MoT so make sure that there are no odd gaps or points where the mileage for one year is lower than previously. Keep an eye out for any odd changes in usage too – if the car was previously doing 20,000 miles a year for five years, why did it suddenly only do 1,000 the next? This will help you avoid buying a clocked car.
Which MoT failures should raise concerns, and can paperwork help?
Most MoT failures are for consumable items that are easily replaced, and there should be paperwork to back that up. It’s not unknown for a car to fail an MoT catastrophically and then have a re-test by a ‘friendly’ garage to get a pass, so look at the dates between failure and success. Unless invoices show that work was carried out to correct the faults, be very wary.
If there is a failure for corrosion, particularly around seatbelt mounting points, be sure to check that part of the car carefully before buying. If the vehicle failed for rust, then passes a week later with an advisory for ‘extensive underseal’ or similar, it is unlikely that the car has been repaired correctly. This is particularly common with motorhomes and campers.
On the other hand, a failure for sharp edges, such as rusty wheel arches, can be turned into a pass with mere gaffer tape. If you’re still not sure what has been done, don’t be afraid to ring the garages that tested the car.
You can get those details online with the V5C’s reference number if there are no printed MoTs. If the reference number doesn’t work, it’s not the latest V5C. Now you have another thing that needs checking thoroughly.
Used car check: V5C registration document
The V5C is often referred to as the ‘logbook’. It does not prove ownership of a car, but it’s the closest you will get in everyday transactions. If you bought a car in England or Wales with outstanding finance, the V5C isn’t going to help you, and in Scotland you will still have a battle to prove you bought it in good faith.
Particularly when buying a higher-value used car, get a vehicle check first to make sure it has ‘clear title’. A loan secured on the car does not mean the deal is dodgy, particularly if the seller is open about it, but you should make sure outstanding finance is dealt with properly before handing over cash.
On the V5C you will find the details of the car and who is the registered keeper. Make sure that the car you’re looking at correlates with the V5C in terms of registration, colour, chassis numbers – usually displayed on the car on a metal plate under the bonnet and in the windscreen on more recent models – and specification.
Check that the seller’s name and address matches that on the V5C and any recent documents since the last keeper change – if it doesn’t, why not? Some people move and forget to update their V5C, in which case all you need to do is ask for some proof of previous address. If the owner’s details don’t match that on the V5C however, and they’re not a trader, then the car might not be theirs to sell.
If the seller doesn’t have a V5C document, walk away.
Checking if the V5C is valid: reference numbers
On the front page of the V5C there’s an 11-digit reference number. By getting an MoT history check online, you can use this reference number to download certificates and view test locations. This will also confirm that the V5C you are looking at is the most recent one. If someone has lost the front part of the V5C, but still has the V5C/2 green new keeper slip, remove the first digit to confirm their story – but remember you won’t have a copy of their address.
Previous keeper details: GDPR and the DVLA
In 2018 the DVLA stopped including the previous keeper’s details on newly-issued logbooks. This is part of data protection law. Some owners may keep previous logbooks as part of a car’s history. If you want to protect your details, destroy your logbook or return it to the DVLA after changing the keeper online.
Used car check: service history and maintenance
On higher-priced and newer cars with a warranty, you’re looking for a full and comprehensive service history, ensuring the service book is fully stamped, services have been done at the correct time or mileage, and any body inspections required have been carried out. Newer cars will often have a digital service record and may have no paper records at all, particularly if they were bought with a service plan.
Stamps from independent garages are acceptable as long as they have a detailed invoice and checklist to ensure all the service items have been covered. When you’re looking at older cars, there could be all manner of receipts; focus on the last five years, but when it comes to resale a comprehensive history is worth keeping.
Do be concerned if someone has simply written in the book that it’s been serviced, particularly if several years are covered with the same ink and writing style and not properly stamped, or backed up with an invoice. This often means it’s been filled in by a trader, but it may also indicate that the owner’s done it themselves. On classic and enthusiast cars bought from the owner, you’ll usually be able to see if their abilities and knowledge match the claims – but from a trader or reseller, such history is worthless.
The mileage should be listed at each service in the service book or paperwork. As well as showing how well it’s been looked after, you’ll be able to see whether the mileage rises correctly over time. Combined with the MoT history this can help you spot a clocked car. If you suspect something’s amiss you can always try calling the garages to check the work was done there.
Compare receipts for work and parts with advisories on previous MoTs. For example, if it had an advisory for corroded brake lines, were they replaced the next time the car was serviced, or are the rusty ones still fitted to the car?
If a car less than twelve years old is missing its service history, then it’s generally not worth buying unless it’s something rare or very cheap. Some main dealers keep records that will allow you to see if it’s ever been serviced, however, so it can be worth contacting them to see if they can fill in any blanks.
Service history items to look for
- Tyres – on 4x4s, have they been replaced in sets of four? Many all-wheel drive systems can be damaged if wheel sizes differ.
- Tyres – check the date code on the tyre against invoice dates, if they are new enough to matter.
- Maintenance – has coolant been changed every five years? What about brake fluid?
- Maintenance – if the car has a cam belt, is there proof of change at age limit if low miles?
- Maintenance – automatic gearboxes need fluid changes, intervals vary but at least one by 80,000 miles.
- Bodywork – smart repairs, glass, paintwork? Any letters for privately-fixed damage?
Used car check: handbooks and owner’s manual
It’s a small detail – but a car that’s still replete with its original books, binders and manuals means that the previous owners have usually taken good care of it. We’re including items like sat-nav discs, memory cards and radio code/key code cards in this folder, so check those are present too.
Make sure that they’re for the correct car. Having these will not only mean that you have a proper set of instructions on how the car’s systems work, and when it needs servicing, but it’ll also make it easier to sell. Some newer cars don’t have a full handbook, just a quick start guide and a link to download an app or PDF.
Used car check: a car history, or HPi, check
It’s vital you carry out a Car History Check. This will show the recorded mileages and it will flag any issues if they exist – as well as telling you whether there’s any outstanding finance, previous crash damage or theft warnings. Some of these checks also offer insurance so if you do later discover that it’s been clocked or damaged you can get compensation.
Don’t take a history check from the owner as a guarantee of anything – it could be out of date or simply forged.
Social media and forums also provide a source for a vehicle’s history. Do some searching if it’s an unusual or specialist car or camper, you may find past for sale listings, enquiries on forums or even pictures of work being done.
Used car check: warranty details
If you’re buying a second-hand car from a dealer, or in some cases a private individual, you might find that it comes with a warranty. These can have a multitude of get-out clauses that allow the warranty company to avoid paying for repairs; you can learn more in our guide to new and used car warranties.
If you’re looking to buy a cheap second-hand runabout, check out our guide to buying a used car. You can also find used cars for sale in our Used Cars for Sale section. Find out what you should aim to pay with a Used Car Valuation and browse our in-depth reviews to research your next car.
