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History check explained...

Here at Motors.co.uk, we're working hard to ensure that buying and selling is as fuss-free and fun as it can be. And we're very much aware that your biggest fear is ending up with a car that has a murky past - because it has been stolen, or rebuilt after a serious crash.

Relax. We've made Motors.co.uk a safer place to shop. Find your next car and we'll provide a basic history check which promises that it isn't recorded by the police on industry databases as stolen, or that the DVLA has it down as fit only for scrapping.

This service, which only Motors.co.uk offers, also helps sellers - because buyers will come to you ready to deal, having cleared a major worry from their minds.

Here's a run-through of what each history check icon means:

  • Our check found no history alerts.Our check found no history alerts.
  • Our history check found that this car is recorded as previously being exported, imported or written off.Our history check found that this car is recorded as previously being exported, imported or written off.
  • This car has been advertised by a private seller. We have been unable to perform a history check.This car has been advertised by a private seller. We have been unable to perform a history check.
  • This car has been advertised by a private seller. There are no history check alerts.This car has been advertised by a private seller. There are no history check alerts.
  • This car has been advertised by a private seller. Our history check found that this car is recorded as previously being exported, imported or written off.This car has been advertised by a private seller. Our history check found that this car is recorded as previously being exported, imported or written off.

Read on to discover more about how our history check operates.

When vehicles are listed with us, we check their history so we can warn you if there's a reason for concern.

Any vehicles listed as stolen on the Police National Computer or recorded by the DVLA as scrapped are never listed on the site.

We also check to see whether a vehicle has been "written off" by an insurer because it has been stolen or crashed. Here it's complicated, so bear with us. There are different write-off categories and cars in Category A or B have damage too serious for them to return to the roads, so we never list them on the site. Cars in Categories C or D can be repaired and re-sold. But we think you should know about their past. Some people are happy to buy such cars if they are roadworthy and the history is reflected in the price.

Imports from outside the European Union are increasingly common (right-hand-drive cars are imported second-hand from Japan, for example) and we believe you should know before you buy. So we check with the DVLA. More importantly, we also check with the DVLA to see whether vehicles have been exported; you should check the history of such cars very carefully.

Important Notes:
  • It costs us money to history check each car and some results are only displayed for our premium dealers (those with whom we have a full advertising relationship).
  • Please do not rely solely on our history check; we only run cars through the system when they are first listed. Problems may subsequently appear via the databases, but our check won't show these.>
  • Good though it is, our history check does not ensure there aren't unpaid loan debts secured on the car. There are further risks, too. For the best possible peace of mind, you are strongly advised to carry out a full history and provenance check just before you buy.

 

Northcliffe Media Limited Northcliffe House 2 Derry Street London W8 5TT
Registered in England and Wales with company number 3363661
Vat Number GB 243 5711 74