Questions to ask a seller before travelling to view a used car
The questions to ask a UK used car seller by phone or message before you travel: V5C, service history, MOT advisories, price, and red flags to listen for.
A ten minute call today can save you a wasted Saturday — or a costly mistake.
- Save time & fuelAvoid wasted trips and half-day viewings that go nowhere.
- Protect your moneySpot issues early and avoid costly mistakes later on.
- Create a recordFollow up important details in writing for your protection.
- Test the sellerHonest sellers answer easily — hesitation is a red flag.
Key takeaway
Ask the right questions upfront, verify the answers you can check yourself, and only then decide whether the car is worth your time and fuel.
Why ten minutes on the phone beats a wasted Saturday
A viewing that goes nowhere costs you half a day and a tank of fuel. A purchase that goes wrong costs thousands. Between those two outcomes sits the cheapest filter in the process: the phone call or message exchange before you agree to travel.
Most buyers skip it. They see a car that photographs well, fire off "is it still available?", get a yes, and set off. Then they arrive to find the "full service history" is one stamp and a receipt for wiper blades. Everything in this guide could have been established from your sofa.
The call also tests the seller. Someone with a genuinely good car answers questions easily, because they know the answers and have nothing to hide. A seller who bristles, deflects or goes vague at basic questions is telling you something useful before you have spent a penny on fuel.
Phone calls are better for hearing hesitation; messages are better for creating a written record. Ask history and condition questions by phone, then follow up in writing on anything involving money.
minutes
That's all it usually takes to filter out the wrong cars and the wrong sellers.
1. Identity & paperwork
- Is the V5C present, and is it in your name?
- Is the address on the V5C the address where I will be viewing the car?
- How long have you owned it?
- Is there any outstanding finance on it?
2. Service history
- The advert says full service history. What does that actually consist of?
- Could you photograph the service book and the last two or three invoices?
- When was it last serviced, and at what mileage?
- Has the cambelt been done, and is there paperwork for it?
3. MOT & advisories
- Were there any advisories on the last MOT?
- Will it come with a fresh MOT, or how long is left on the current one?
4. Condition & reason for sale
- Are there any warning lights on the dash, even ones that come and go?
- Is there anything that needs doing, however small?
- Any accident damage or paintwork in your time with it?
- Why are you selling it?
5. Money questions
- Is there any movement on the price?
- Are there any admin fees, paperwork charges or compulsory extras on top?
- If I leave a deposit to hold the car, is it refundable?
- Can I have the deposit terms in writing before I pay?
6. Red flags to listen for
- Evasive on the V5C, or "the logbook is with DVLA at the moment"
- "Selling it for a mate"
- A price well under market with no stated reason
- Will only meet in a car park or "halfway"
- Pressure to pay a holding deposit before viewing
- Can't answer basic history on a car they've owned for years
Private seller or dealer: the rules are different
From a dealer
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies: the car must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described, and you have a short-term right to reject a faulty car within 30 days. The dealer's answers create obligations.
From a private seller
None of that applies. The seller must describe the car accurately and must not knowingly sell an unroadworthy car, but there is no satisfactory-quality standard and no right to reject. This is exactly why pre-travel answers in writing matter most on private sales.
One test when calling a private number: open with "I'm calling about the car for sale." If the reply is "which one?", you have found an unregistered trader posing as a private seller.
Quick reference: ask every seller
- Is the V5C present and in your name?
- Where will I be viewing the car?
- How long have you owned it?
- Any outstanding finance?
- Service history: can I see photos?
- Last service date and mileage?
- Any MOT advisories on the last test?
- How long until the next MOT?
- Any warning lights?
- Anything that needs doing?
- Any accident damage?
- Why are you selling?
- Is there any movement on the price?
- Any admin, delivery or warranty fees?
Final step before you travel
If the answers check out, get confirmation in writing of anything involving money or condition. A short follow-up message is enough, and it is the only version of the conversation you can point at later.
"Thanks for the call earlier. Just to confirm: full service history with the book and invoices, no outstanding finance, no warning lights, and £11,995 with no admin fees. Looking forward to viewing on Saturday."
What to bring when the answers pass
Book the viewing and bring screenshots of the advert and your message thread (adverts get edited), your list of the seller's answers to check the car against, a torch, and daylight. Never view in the dark or in the rain — both hide paintwork sins.
Before you set off, spend two minutes on the free MOT record. The mileage trail should climb steadily and end near the advertised figure. A mileage that drops between tests, a multi-year testing gap, or an advertised mileage thousands below the last recorded test needs a convincing explanation before you start the car journey, let alone the engine.
Check the MOT history on gov.ukSmarter decisions start with better information
CompareForecourt helps you check key details, compare similar cars, and spot missing information before you buy — so the gaps in an advert become your call script.
- Check MOT history & advisories
- Compare similar cars side by side
- Verify running costs & road tax
- Spot missing information in listings
