Seller Claim Checker: Compare a Used Car Advert With the Official Record

Type what the used car advert says and we compare it with the official record: mileage, MOT date, year, colour and fuel.

Free. We compare what you enter with the official record. Nothing is stored.

Most used car problems start with something small in the advert: a mileage that is a little low, an MOT date that is a little generous, a colour or year that does not quite match. The Seller Claim Checker puts what the advert says next to what the official record says, line by line, so you can see any gap before you spend time or money.

Enter the registration, then fill in whatever the advert states: mileage, MOT expiry date, year, colour, fuel or make. You can leave any box blank. We compare each detail with the DVSA MOT history and DVLA vehicle data and mark it as a match, something to check, or a mismatch.

What the Seller Claim Checker compares

Each detail is checked against a specific part of the official record, and the result tells you why.

Mileage. Compared with the last odometer reading at an MOT test. Mileage should only go up, so an advert lower than the last MOT reading is flagged. A figure far above what the car normally covers is flagged as something to ask about.
MOT expiry. Compared with the expiry date held by DVSA. If the advert says “MOT till August” and the record says otherwise, you want to see the certificate.
Year. Compared with the year of manufacture and first registration. A one-year gap is often a registration year quoted instead of a build year, so it is marked as a point to check rather than a failure.
Colour and fuel. Compared with DVLA details. A colour change is common (a respray or wrap), but a different fuel type is a serious mismatch.
Make and model. Compared with the record for that registration. If it is a different car, you have the wrong registration or the wrong advert.

Every MOT records the odometer. Those readings build a dated trail that is hard to rewrite. If a car had 84,000 miles at its last MOT in March and the advert in October says 61,000, either the advert is wrong or the odometer has been altered. Our mileage check looks for falls inside the history itself. The Seller Claim Checker adds the missing step: it checks the number the seller is telling you today.

A mileage that is only slightly above the last MOT reading is normal. A mileage far above the car’s usual yearly use is not a red flag by itself, but it is a good reason to ask what the car has been used for.

What to do if something does not match

Ask for the document. For the MOT, ask to see the certificate. For mileage, ask for service invoices with mileage on them. For colour, year and ownership, ask for the V5C logbook.
Get the explanation in writing. A genuine seller usually has a simple answer, such as a typo in the advert.
Do not pay a deposit until the difference is explained. If the make, model or fuel is wrong, walk away from that advert.
Check the rest of the history. Use the MOT history check and the advisory tracker to see failures and unresolved items.

What this tool cannot tell you

The checker only compares details against official records. It cannot see the condition of the car, the number of previous owners, outstanding finance, or whether a car has been written off. For those, ask the seller direct questions and use a full vehicle history check. A mismatch is a prompt to ask questions, not proof of fraud, and a match does not mean the car is in good condition. Always inspect and test drive in person.

Use the compare two cars tool when you are choosing between two adverts, and the free vehicle check for make, fuel, tax and Euro status. Our used car checklist walks through everything to check when you view the car.

What the checker looks at

You type in what the advert says and we compare it with the official record. Each claim gets a simple result: matches, worth checking or does not match.

Mileage. We compare the advertised mileage with the last odometer reading at an MOT, and with how many miles a car normally adds each year. A lower mileage than the last test is a strong warning.
MOT expiry. If the advert says “MOT until March”, we check the date recorded.
Year, colour and fuel type. A different colour can simply mean a respray, but you should ask. A different fuel type or make means the registration may not belong to that car.

Warning signs in used car adverts

Mileage that is lower than the last MOT reading.
A “full year’s MOT” when the record shows a much earlier expiry.
A colour or fuel type that differs from the registration record.
A seller who cannot or will not show the V5C logbook. Our used car checklist explains what to ask for.
Prices well below similar cars with no clear reason.

What a mismatch can mean

A mismatch is not proof of fraud. Typing errors, a recent respray or a recent engine swap can all cause differences. The point is to ask the question before you hand over money, not to accuse the seller. A fair seller will have a clear answer.

What this tool cannot check

It cannot tell you whether a car has finance owing, has been stolen or has been written off. For those you need a separate, paid history check. It also cannot see what has happened since the last MOT.

Next steps

Run the registration through the MOT history check.
Look at open warnings with the advisory tracker.
Put two candidates side by side with compare two cars.

Frequently asked questions

What is a seller claim check?

It compares the details in a used car advert, such as mileage, MOT expiry date, year, colour and fuel, with the official DVSA and DVLA record for that registration, and shows any differences.

Is the Seller Claim Checker free?

Yes. It is free, needs no sign-up, and we do not store the details you type.

What if the advert mileage is lower than the last MOT?

That is a clear warning. Recorded mileage should only go up. Ask the seller for an explanation and written proof, and do not pay a deposit until you have it.

Does a match mean the car is safe to buy?

No. A match only means the details you entered agree with the record. It says nothing about condition, finance or ownership, so inspect the car and check its full history.

Why does the year differ by one?

Sellers often quote the registration year instead of the year of manufacture. We mark a one-year gap as something to check rather than a mismatch. The V5C logbook shows the exact dates.

Need it all in one document?

The Full Vehicle Report gives you the complete MOT timeline, mileage analysis and summary as a PDF you can keep.

Get the report £3.99