Car Buying Glossary
Short, plain-English explanations of the jargon you'll meet when buying, selling, or checking a car.
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Buyer’s Guide
What a used car buyer's guide should cover in the UK, from MOT and service history to outstanding finance, sto
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Buying an insurance write-off
What Cat A, B, S and N insurance write-off categories mean in the UK, which written-off cars can legally retur
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Contact the DVSA
How to contact the DVSA, the UK agency behind MOT tests, driving tests and vehicle recalls, including its cust
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How to check engine number
Where to find a car's engine number, how to check it matches the V5C logbook, and why a mismatched engine numb
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impair.ai
How machine learning can predict future car problems using MOT history and vehicle data, and what AI reliabili
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Insurance Groups explained
UK car insurance groups run from 1 to 50. Learn how groups are set, what affects a car's rating, and how to us
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Running cost – Fuel
How to estimate a car's annual fuel cost in the UK using MPG figures, why official WLTP economy differs from r
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Running cost – MOT
What the MOT test costs in the UK, the official £54.85 maximum fee for cars, when your car needs one, and the
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Running cost – Repairs
How to budget for car repair costs in the UK, using MOT advisories to predict upcoming bills, and why repair h
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Running cost – Servicing
What car servicing costs in the UK, how manufacturer service schedules work, main dealer versus independent ga
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SMMT
The SMMT is the trade body for the UK motor industry. Learn what the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Trader
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SORN
SORN means Statutory Off Road Notification. Learn the UK rules on declaring a car off the road, tax and insura
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Start the car from cold
Why you should always start a used car from cold when viewing it, and what smoke, noises or slow cranking on a
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Suppressed VIN Number
Why vehicle check reports hide part of a car's VIN, how suppressing the full number helps prevent vehicle clon
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Vehicle Checks
What a UK vehicle check covers, from outstanding finance and stolen status to MOT history and mileage, and why
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What is depreciation?
Car depreciation is the gap between what you paid for a car and what it is worth now. Learn what drives it in