Selling Your Car in Canterbury: Service and MOT Checks

Written by Petro Olekhnovych, mobile mechanic in Aylesham, Kent

Should you get a service before selling your car? If the service is due or nearly due, it is usually worth doing, because buyers look closely at the service record and the MOT history. Fixing any MOT advisories and warning lights first also removes easy reasons for a buyer to walk away or knock the price down.

Here is what buyers check, what is worth doing before you list the car, and what you must tell the DVLA once it is sold.

What buyers check before they buy

Most buyers do some homework before they even see the car. Trading standards advice from Coventry City Council tells buyers to:

• check the MOT status and history on GOV.UK using the registration number
• look for a continuous run of annual MOTs on cars three years old or more
• ask why if there is no service history, and check it “tells a full and believable story”
• see the V5C log book and check whether the seller is the registered keeper
• check that the recorded mileage rises steadily with age and matches the service record

Lancashire County Council’s consumer advice also tells buyers to check that MOT tests have been done regularly throughout the car’s history.

So a buyer in Canterbury may know a lot about your car before they arrive. It pays to look at it the way they will.

Check your own MOT history first

The GOV.UK MOT history service is free and only needs the number plate. It shows whether each test was passed or failed, the mileage at each test and when the next MOT is due.

For tests in England, Scotland or Wales, it also shows which parts failed and which had minor problems. Anyone can see this, including every buyer who looks at your advert.

Look for:

• Advisories that keep repeating. A buyer will notice the same item listed year after year.
• Recent fails and whether the retest passed.
• Mileage gaps or oddities that you may need to explain.
• The next MOT date. A car sold with a long MOT is easier to sell than one due next month.

Fixing MOT advisories before you sell

GOV.UK explains that you may get a list of “minor” or “advisory” problems to monitor or fix in the future, even when a car passes. A car fails if the result lists “dangerous” or “major” problems.

Advisories do not stop a car being driven, but buyers read them as a to-do list. Some, such as worn brake pads or discs, are jobs we do on your driveway. Our guide to MOT advisories explains what each type means and which to fix first.

If any advisory is about brakes, steering or tyres, get it checked now rather than waiting for a sale. Lancashire’s advice says cars sold must be roadworthy and safe to drive.

Is a service before selling worth it?

A full service history helps a car sell. A missing or overdue service is one of the first things a buyer will ask about.

It is usually worth doing if:

• the service is due or overdue by time or mileage
• the oil or filters have not been changed for a long time
• a big job such as the timing belt (cambelt) is due, which buyers often ask about

Intervals vary by car, so check your handbook or service book. Our car service checklist shows what an interim and full service cover, and our post on timing belt replacement explains why a buyer will want to know when it was last done.

Keep every receipt and get the service book stamped. A paper trail is what makes the history “believable” to a buyer.

Warning lights and small faults

A warning light on the dashboard puts many buyers off straight away. They cannot tell if it is a loose sensor or something expensive.

We can come out and run diagnostics to find the cause, then tell you what it needs. That gives you a choice: fix it, or describe it honestly in the advert. If something is outside what we do, we will tell you what the car needs so you can get it sorted elsewhere.

If the light is flashing, or it is the oil pressure or temperature warning, stop driving and get it checked before anything else.

Telling the DVLA when you sell

Once the car is sold, you must tell the DVLA. According to GOV.UK:

• You can do it online with the DVLA service, which changes the registered keeper and sends a log book to the new keeper.
• The online service runs Monday to Friday 7am to 9pm, and weekends 7am to 8pm.
• If you do not have a log book, write to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BA. Include your name and address, the registration, the make and model, the exact date of sale and the new keeper’s name and address.
• Your vehicle tax is cancelled once you tell DVLA, and you get a refund for any full months left.

Tax does not transfer to the buyer. GOV.UK says the new keeper must tax the car or make a SORN before driving it, so remind your buyer before they drive away.

How we can help

Our mobile mechanic service in Canterbury comes to your home or workplace, so you do not need to take the car anywhere before a sale. We also cover Sturry, Bridge, Littlebourne and the villages around the city.

Before you sell, we can do an interim or full service, brake pads and discs, a timing belt, filters, warning light fault finding and a pre-MOT check in Canterbury. Labour is £30-£50 per hour depending on the job. Parts are extra, and we agree the price on WhatsApp before any work starts.

Frequently asked questions

Should I MOT my car before selling it?
If the MOT is due soon, a fresh one makes the car easier to sell. Buyers can see the full MOT history online either way.

Can buyers see my MOT advisories?
Yes. For tests in England, Scotland and Wales, GOV.UK shows which parts failed and which had minor problems.

Do I get my road tax back when I sell?
Yes, for any full months left. Tax is cancelled once you tell DVLA.

Is it worth fixing a warning light before selling?
Find out what it is first. A diagnostic check tells you whether it is a small fix or something to declare to the buyer.

Need help? Send a WhatsApp to 07563 350335 with your car’s make and model and we’ll come to you.

Sources

• Check the MOT history of a vehicle (GOV.UK)
• Getting an MOT: after the test (GOV.UK)
• Tell DVLA you’ve sold, transferred or bought a vehicle (GOV.UK)
• Checklist for buying a second hand car (Coventry City Council Trading Standards)
• Buying a second-hand car (Lancashire County Council)