Preparing To Sell
Selling your car? Get the service history first
Buyers pay 10–20% more for cars with documented service history. Spend £9.99 recovering the manufacturer's digital record before you list — it usually pays back hundreds of pounds in asking price.
Find Your Car's Service History Online
Check your car's service history using official UK manufacturer dealership records. Enter a registration number to see every franchised dealer service on file — dates, mileages, and work performed.
Full dealership records for BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Ford, Toyota, Volkswagen and many more — plus partial coverage for many others. Your card is authorised but not charged unless we find records.
What's the best thing to do before selling my car?
Why preparation pays
Buyers scan dozens of listings looking for reasons to rule cars out. Missing or unclear service history is the fastest way to disqualify a car at the search-result stage. Listings that mention "full digital service history available" get more clicks, more enquiries, and more viewings — and those viewings convert at a higher rate because the buyer arrives already reassured.
The 10–20% premium for documented history is well established in industry pricing data. On a £12,000 used car that's £1,200–£2,400 — typically far more than the £9.99 cost of recovering the digital record.
Three things to do before listing
- Recover the digital record. Run the service history check by registration above — gives you a printable PDF in minutes.
- Get a recent service done. Even a basic interim service shows the car has been looked after right up to handover.
- Mention the report in your listing. Phrases like "digital service history available on request" signal transparency and discourage tyre-kickers.
What buyers actually want to see
The single most reassuring document for a private buyer is a clean printout from the manufacturer's system showing regular dealer servicing. It removes the "has the mileage been clocked?" question, the "was the cambelt done?" question, and the "is there anything I should know about?" question — usually all in the same look. That's why sellers who prepare the report in advance close sales faster and at closer to asking price.
How It Works
Three Simple Steps
Enter Your Registration
Type in your vehicle registration number (VRM) — it takes seconds.
We Check Official Records
We query manufacturer dealership databases — the same systems used by franchised dealers.
Receive Your Report In Minutes
Most reports land in your inbox within minutes of payment — full digital service history, ready to download or print.
Supported Brands
Manufacturer Records
We access service history data directly from manufacturer dealership systems — covering most European vehicles from 2012 model year onwards.
Full Service History
(19)Complete service records from manufacturer dealership systems, including service dates, mileage, work performed, and service provider details. Suitable for consumer reports and remarketing.
Workshop Remarks
(13)Workshop remarks including recalls and warranty work. Where workshop remarks align with service schedules, this strongly indicates a service was carried out.
Limited Coverage
(13)Data is returned in a minimal proportion of cases. Results depend on individual vehicle records and manufacturer system availability.
Why Service History Matters
Protect Your Investment
Missing service history is one of the biggest value killers when buying or selling a used vehicle. Don't leave money on the table.
Value lost without service history
More value with full service history
Of buyers won't buy without service history
If no records are found
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How much can a full service history add to my asking price?
Industry estimates put the premium at 10–20% over the same car with no documentation. On a £12,000 car that's £1,200–£2,400 — typically far more than the cost of recovering a digital service report (£9.99) and getting the car serviced before sale.
Should I service the car right before selling it?
Usually yes — a recent service entry on the report removes a common buyer objection ("when was it last serviced?") and shifts the conversation to price. Even a basic interim service is worth it on a car that's been sitting between services.
How early should I prepare the records?
A few days before listing is enough. Run the service history check, download the PDF, and have it ready to send before your first enquiry comes in. Marketplace messages often arrive within hours of going live, and being slow to respond loses sales.
What if my car was serviced at independent garages?
Manufacturer records only cover work done at UK franchised dealers. If your car was serviced at independents, gather their invoices and service receipts as supplementary evidence. The MOT history (which we include) covers any garage that did an MOT and helps fill the gap.
Is it worth doing this for a cheap car under £3,000?
On lower-value cars the discount for missing documentation is smaller in pounds but larger in percentage — buyers expect history to be patchy on older cars. A digital report still helps the listing stand out and adds credibility, especially on cars sold to first-time buyers.
Related
More on service history checks
Ready to check a service history?
Enter the UK registration above to start. Reports arrive in minutes — your card is not charged if no manufacturer records are found.
Run a Service History Check — £9.99See exactly what you get — view a sample report