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Why You Need a Vehicle Check Before Buying a Used Car

A vehicle check is your first line of defence when buying a used car. A comprehensive vehicle check from Total Car Check reveals key information — such as MOT history, outstanding finance, write-off status, stolen status, mileage history, plate changes, safety recalls, and more — helping you make an informed decision and protecting your investment.

Why Perform a Vehicle Check?

A vehicle check helps you:

Avoid Buying a Stolen or Cloned Car
Verify that the vehicle is not listed on the Police National Computer and perform a free VIN check to help identify cloned car activity.
Protect Yourself from Outstanding Finance or Logbook Loans
Confirm that the car is free from unpaid debts or third-party claims.
Uncover Insurance Write-Off or Scrapped History
Check whether the vehicle was previously written off (e.g., Category S or N), scrapped, or poorly rebuilt.
Verify MOT History and Mileage Accuracy
Access full MOT records and mileage trends to detect clocking or discrepancies.
Check Plate Changes, Previous Keepers & Recall Notices
Review registration changes, ownership history, and manufacturer safety recalls.

What’s Included in a Total Car Check Vehicle Report

With Total Car Check, our vehicle check reports include:

MOT history and mileage records
Road tax status and cost
Outstanding finance and logbook loans
Police stolen check
Insurance write-off details
Salvage history check
Ex-taxi check
Previous keeper history
Plate and colour changes
Scrapped status
Vehicle specification from DVLA and manufacturer data
Fuel economy and real world driving costs
Electric vehicle data
Safety recall notices

We offer free vehicle checks with essential information, plus affordable Silver and Gold checks for complete peace of mind.

Cheap Vehicle Check Online – Instant Results

Looking for a cheap vehicle check online? Total Car Check provides fast, accurate results you can trust. All our data is sourced from the DVLA, police, insurers, finance houses, and other trusted partners — giving you confidence before you buy.

Cheap Vehicle Check Online – Instant Results

Trusted by millions of UK drivers
Affordable pricing for every budget
Average 4.9* overall satisfaction ratings across platforms
Instant online reports available 24/7
£30,000 Data Guarantee with our Gold Check
Excellent customer service and support

FAQs About Vehicle Checks

What does a vehicle check include?

A vehicle check includes MOT history, outstanding finance, write-off records, stolen status, mileage history, plate changes, previous keepers, and recalls.

How long does a vehicle check take?

Total Car Check reports are available instantly online — just enter the registration number.

Do I really need a vehicle check?

Yes. Without a vehicle check, you risk buying a car with hidden problems such as finance debt, safety issues, or stolen status.

Start Your Vehicle Check Today

Enter your registration number above to get your instant vehicle check report from Total Car Check. Fast, affordable, and trusted across the UK - helping you buy your next car with confidence.

Vehicle Check Information

Here at Total Car Check we think it's important to know what's happened in the past when you are looking at buying a vehicle.

Our free vehicle check will help you identify the vehicle you are looking at and uncover some interesting facts about its past.

If you'd like to reveal everything there is to know, get a Gold Check before you purchase the vehicle, for total peace of mind.

Go ahead, get your free vehicle check and see what you find...

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What do we check?

50+ checks are performed including:

Stolen check (Police & insurance)
Written off vehicle check
Outstanding Finance check
MOT history records
All plate changes

View a sample report

£30,000 Data Guarantee

Our Gold Check comes with a £30,000 data guarantee. So, you're in safe hands.

Get total peace of mind.

We've got you covered, every time you check a vehicle.

View our products and prices

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Our customers rate us highly

Over 28,500+ ratings across all platforms. A 4.8 star overall satisfaction rating.

5 star Excellence Award Winner

You can count on us to provide excellent service and value for money.

Read our reviews