Buying Advice
How to check if a used car listing is a good buy (UK)
Found a used car advert? Check MOT, history and price, then get a decision for that car and buying route. Free glance, Custom evidence, or Premium.
Resources
Understand the car, work out the numbers and choose how to buy.
Articles & Guides
Understand auction bids, repair costs, vehicle history and the checks before buying.
MOT & Mileage
Free MOT check or paid vehicle history: what an auction buyer needs
Understand what free MOT history reveals, which questions need paid vehicle records, and what remains to calculate before bidding on an auction car.
Bidding & Costs
Market value when repaired: why it is different from your maximum bid
See how repaired market value, repair costs, auction fees, transport and target saving combine to set an auction bid ceiling.
How Ralph Compares
Compare Ralph with individual vehicle-check services, including coverage and tradeoffs.
Comparisons
Ralph vs TotalCarCheck: history checks and auction buying costs
Compare TotalCarCheck Gold with Ralph's relevant paid checks and auction calculation, including coverage, bundle prices and the decision before bidding.
Comparisons
Ralph vs VCheck: choosing a check for an auction car
Compare VCheck's vehicle history and salvage records with Ralph's auction report, repair allowances and maximum-bid calculation.
Comparisons
Ralph vs VehicleScore: a vehicle score and an auction bid decision
Compare VehicleScore's free score and paid history with Ralph's auction costs, repaired market value and maximum-bid guidance.
Buying Scenarios
See how your decision changes when choosing a car or buying at auction, from a dealer or privately.
Choosing a Car
What car should I buy? How to choose the right car for you (UK)
Not sure what car to buy? Use our free car chooser to match your budget, lifestyle and driving habits to real MOT reliability data. Three ranked picks in under two minutes.
Auction Buying
Auction vs dealer vs private, same car, different decision (UK)
Same used car, four UK paths. How auction max bid, dealer CRA rights, private checks and off-market VIN change the decision: proceed, proceed only if, or avoid.
