Run a van check before you buy
Enter any UK van registration to reveal outstanding finance, write-off records, stolen markers, mileage anomalies and full MOT history — in seconds. Works for every van, from car-derived vans to large panel vans.
What a van check reveals
A full GuruCarCheck van report combines live DVLA data with industry finance, insurance and police records — the things a seller might not tell you.
Outstanding finance & lease
Vans are very often bought on finance or lease. See any active agreement and the lender before you pay.
Write-off & category
Insurance total-loss records and Cat A, B, S or N markers — common on hard-worked commercial vehicles.
Stolen check (PNC)
Police National Computer markers for vans reported stolen — a higher risk for commercial vehicles.
Mileage anomalies
Vans rack up very high commercial miles, so clocking is common. We cross-check the mileage history to expose it.
Previous keepers
How many owners the van has had and how long each kept it — useful for ex-fleet and ex-lease vans.
Plate & colour changes
Every registration and colour change on record — a common way to disguise a van's past.
Import, export & scrap
Whether the van was imported, exported or marked as scrapped.
Full MOT history
Every MOT pass, fail, advisory and recorded mileage reading — the true picture of a working van's condition.
Valuation + AI risk snapshot
A four-way market valuation plus a plain-English AI read on the price, the risks and what to check.
Why a van's history matters more than a car's
Vans work harder, are financed more often and are stolen more often than private cars — so the risks you're checking for are simply more likely to be there.
- Finance and lease are the norm, not the exception. A huge share of vans are bought on finance, lease or contract hire by businesses. If money is still owed, the finance company can legally repossess the van even after you've paid the seller.
- Higher theft rate. Vans — and the tools inside them — are a well-known target. A stolen van can be re-plated and sold on, leaving an innocent buyer out of pocket.
- A hard commercial life. Many vans cover enormous mileages doing deliveries, trades and haulage. High wear makes both clocking and write-offs more common, so mileage and category checks really matter.
- Sole traders and tradespeople carry the risk personally. Most van buyers are self-employed or small businesses spending their own money on a working asset. A hidden finance agreement or write-off can be the difference between a profitable tool and a costly mistake.
Quick answer: Enter the van's plate for a free preview, then unlock the full finance, write-off, stolen and mileage results in a report from £7.99 — emailed to you as a PDF.
Your complete van check in three steps
No sign-up, no waiting. Just answers you can trust before you hand over any money.
Enter the reg
Type in any UK van registration — or photograph the plate. We instantly pull the make, model, colour and specification straight from DVLA.
See a free preview
Get tax, MOT status and MOT history free. We'll show you exactly which risk flags — finance, write-off, stolen — we've found.
Unlock the full report
Reveal every finance agreement, write-off category, mileage record and keeper change for just £7.99. Emailed to you as a PDF, yours to keep.
Choose your level of certainty
Start free. Upgrade to a full van report only when you want the complete picture.
- Make, model, colour & spec
- Tax & MOT status
- Full MOT history
- Finance & write-off data
- Stolen & mileage checks
- Everything in Free
- Outstanding finance & lease
- Write-off category & stolen
- Mileage anomalies & keepers
- Plate, colour, import & scrap
- Market valuation + AI risk snapshot
- PDF report emailed to you
- Everything in Full Check
- AI buyer's package — faults, checklist & negotiation
- Model-specific common faults to check
- Personalised inspection checklist
- Full tech spec & running costs
Comparing a few vans? Bundles from £5 per check
Buy a bundle and use the checks whenever you need — no subscription, no account, valid 12 months. 3 checks for £20, 5 for £29.99, or 10 for £49.99 (just £5 each). Ideal for tradespeople and small fleets shortlisting vans.
Van check questions, answered
Viewing the van? Inspect it with Cars Guru
The free Cars Guru app shows the model-specific common faults for that van, lets the AI listen to the engine and flag problems from the sound, and gives you a checklist of exactly what and how to check on the day.