▸ Classification · Valuation
Data sourced from DVLA, MIAFTR, contracted stolen-vehicle data and the UK lender register at lookup time.
Typical lookup completes in under one second from the UK.
Built and supported in the UK as part of the consumer side of the network.
A Category S or N marker typically reduces market value by 20 to 40 percent compared to an equivalent unmarked car, depending on the make, the year and the quality of the visible repair. The reduction is larger for premium and prestige vehicles where buyer tolerance for any recorded damage is lower.
If the report shows nothing of concern, ask to see the V5C in person and compare the VIN on the document to the one stamped on the chassis and printed on the dash. If the report flags something, raise it directly: a Category N write-off is not necessarily a deal-breaker, but a seller who claims a car has no history when MIAFTR shows otherwise is telling you something important about the rest of the conversation.
The headline price assumes a vehicle in typical condition for its age, with annual mileage close to the UK norm of 7,400 miles. The report adjusts up or down for recorded mileage, MOT outcomes and any insurance markers found in a paired history lookup, so the figure shown is the figure for this specific vehicle rather than a generic make-and-model average.
/ Brand consolidation
carvaluationfreeuk.com has consolidated into Expert Car Check, the UK valuation and history service many of its users already cross-referenced. The data sources are unchanged: DVLA's vehicle record, DVSA's MOT history, MIAFTR for write-offs, contracted UK data providers for stolen-vehicle markers and the UK lender register for outstanding finance. The team and the support contact are the same. What's changed is that the work that was previously spread across several smaller brands now sits in one place, which keeps response times tight and the underlying registers maintained against current DVLA schemas. Bookmarks and historic links to carvaluationfreeuk.com continue to resolve here. If you were referred to carvaluationfreeuk.com by a previous report, broker or print listing, this is the right page — there is no further redirect to chase.
Visit expertcarcheck.com →/ Common questions
Some do, most only partially. Metallic paint and desirable roof or drivetrain options hold value on premium models; expensive infotainment upgrades rarely recover much. The valuation reflects trim where it can be identified with confidence.
Different services use different datasets, different definitions of trade vs retail and different update cadences. A 5-10% variation between two reputable services on the same vehicle is normal.
No. Comparable transaction data is sparse for classics and the standard model under-reports value. The report flags such vehicles and recommends a specialist valuer's opinion as the primary figure.
The headline price assumes UK-typical annual mileage (about 7,400 miles). Above-average mileage reduces the figure; below-average increases it. The size of the adjustment depends on the model and the gap.
/ Also in valuation
Trade-grade valuations.
Get your vehicle valuation and history check together
What the trade pays.
Professional car valuation for dealers, traders and serious buyers
The trade's price book.
Accurate vehicle valuation for any UK registered car or van
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One field. A typical lookup completes in under a second, using the same UK vehicle records relied on by trade buyers and insurers.