Salvage search result
See whether salvage auction records were returned for the registration. A no-record result does not establish an accident-free or undamaged history.
Vehicle Salvage CheckLook into the car's earlier condition
Search a UK registration for available salvage auction history. Review recorded dates, mileage and damage descriptions, with image links where supplied, to ask better questions about the car you are considering.
The report costs £0.99 per vehicle and is supplied as a dedicated PDF. Use the entries to investigate the history and compare the seller's explanation with the available evidence.
What does a vehicle salvage check include?
Available auction entries can help reveal questions about previous damage and repairs that are difficult to answer from today's advert alone.
What is a car salvage history check?
A car salvage history check looks for recorded salvage auction entries associated with a registration. Those entries can describe a vehicle at an earlier point in its life. An old lot description, recorded mileage or image may help you compare the history with what the seller is telling you today.
The CarExamer package costs £0.99 for one vehicle. Your completed check is supplied as a separate PDF in the downloadable report archive. It includes the available result and returned auction records, with their details and external image links where supplied.
A salvage record and an insurance write-off record answer different questions. An auction description may mention a category, but the listing alone does not establish the complete insurance history. Our full car history check is a separate package for broader recorded risks, including insurance write-off information.
Read the history as evidence to investigate. Ask the seller for repair invoices, photographs of the work and an explanation of any differences between the advert and the entry. A description of past damage cannot show whether repairs were completed properly or assess the vehicle's current condition.
Not every vehicle, accident or sale will have an available salvage record. Photographs may be missing, descriptions may be limited and information can be incorrect or out of date. A no-record result is not an assurance that the car has never been damaged.
Review the details behind each entry
What to look for in the report
Auction entries and descriptions
Review the available lot descriptions and record references. Read all returned entries; the report is not a complete account of every previous sale.
Recorded dates and locations
Available auction dates and locations help place an entry within the vehicle’s history. They do not confirm the date of damage or a completed sale.
Recorded mileage
Compare any mileage attached to an auction record with later MOT readings, documents and the odometer. A recorded figure is not a mileage certification.
Damage descriptions
Read primary and secondary damage descriptions where supplied. These describe the auction entry, not the quality of repairs or the car’s condition today.
Available image links
Open any supplied image links to examine the recorded appearance. Images may be absent or become unavailable; a complete photographic history is not promised.
How to check a car's salvage history
Start with the registration, compare the returned entries and investigate the condition of the car today.
Check
1. Confirm the vehicle
Enter the UK registration on the car history check page and check the returned vehicle details. Select Vehicle salvage check, review its price and add the package to your cart alongside any other checks you need.
Compare
2. Read the auction records
Open the completed PDF. Read every supplied entry and compare its description, dates, mileage and damage notes. Open any image links that are available. An auction date is not necessarily the date the damage occurred.
Decide
3. Ask about the repairs
Compare the findings with the advert and the seller's documents. Ask how the recorded damage was addressed and request evidence of the work. Arrange an appropriate independent inspection before relying on the car's current appearance.
Use GOV.UK's checks when buying a used vehicle alongside the report. Compare the vehicle and its documents and review its official MOT history.
Salvage history, write-offs or other checks?
Each report has a specific purpose. Combine relevant information when a buying decision needs more than one answer.
Vehicle Salvage Check
£0.99 per vehicleAre there available salvage auction entries?
Review returned listings, dates, damage descriptions and recorded mileage, with image links where supplied. Coverage is limited to the available entries.
Get a salvage reportFull Car History Check
Do I need recorded insurance write-off and other risk information?
Explore broader background checks, including finance, theft and write-off information. A salvage auction search is not a substitute for this wider scope.
Explore the full history checkVehicle High Risk Check
Is a recorded interest something I should follow up?
Review high risk markers, their supporting notes and available company contact details. Use the result to raise specific questions before committing.
Explore the high risk checkVehicle & MOT History
How do test results and mileages fit the timeline?
Review available vehicle and MOT history information. Compare dated readings and test findings with the auction entries and the seller's paperwork.
Explore vehicle and MOT historyYou can also view recorded test results using the free MOT history check. A Vehicle Valuation can support price research, but a general estimate does not establish the value of a car with a particular repair history.
What to consider before buying
Use each entry to identify evidence you need, rather than treating an auction description as a condition certificate.
Understand any category mentioned
GOV.UK distinguishes category S structural damage from category N non-structural damage; both may return to use after repair to a roadworthy condition. Category A vehicles must be crushed, and category B body shells must be crushed, although some parts can be salvaged. Read the official write-off category guidance. A category in an auction description still needs to be considered alongside the wider history.
Look carefully at dates and mileage
Arrange the auction entries, MOT results and repair documents in date order. Compare the units before interpreting a mileage change. An unusual reading may need clarification, and an auction date does not establish that a sale completed. Where the sequence does not fit the seller's account, ask for the missing evidence rather than filling the gap with an assumption.
Treat images as a partial view
A photograph can show visible damage from a particular angle at a particular time. It may omit the underside, structural areas, mechanical components or damage hidden behind panels. Ask for repair-stage photographs where available and compare them with invoices. Even a large set of auction images cannot confirm the quality of later work or rule out faults that developed afterwards.
Assess the vehicle as it stands today
Use the history to tell an independent inspector what concerns you and which areas need attention. Ask what their assessment will cover and whether further specialist checks are appropriate. Confirm insurance availability and the information the insurer needs before buying. Consider the supporting documents and repair evidence when comparing the asking price with similar cars.
A salvage search does not certify roadworthiness or provide a complete accident, repair or ownership history. The GOV.UK MOT service supplies recorded test outcomes and mileages; those records provide context alongside the auction history.
Your questions answered
Auction entries, damage images, insurance categories, mileage and what a no-record result means.
A vehicle salvage check searches for available salvage auction records associated with a registration. The report can include auction descriptions, dates, locations, recorded mileage, damage descriptions and image links where supplied. It helps you ask more specific questions about a used car’s earlier appearance and history.
The CarExamer Vehicle salvage check costs £0.99 per vehicle. Enter the registration on the car history check page, confirm the vehicle and select this package. Review the total before adding it to your cart. Other vehicle data packages are priced and selected separately.
No. A salvage check looks for recorded auction entries. Insurance write-off information concerns an insurer’s classification of a vehicle. An auction description may mention a category, but this package is not a complete insurance write-off check. Use the separate Full Car History Check to investigate recorded write-off information alongside other background risks.
You may receive external image links when they are available for an auction entry. Photographs are not supplied for every vehicle or every record, and a link can stop working. An image shows only the visible areas at the time it was taken; it cannot prove what happened underneath, how repairs were performed or the condition now.
No. It means no salvage auction entries were returned for that completed check. Damage, private repairs and sales may not appear in the available history. It is also different from a check that could not be completed. Use the seller’s documents, other relevant history checks and an assessment of the actual vehicle.
No. A date attached to an auction record relates to that entry. It does not establish when damage occurred, when repairs finished, whether a sale completed or when ownership changed. Put each date alongside invoices and other dated documents before drawing conclusions about the sequence of events.
An unexpected mileage reading is a reason to investigate, not proof by itself. Compare the record’s units and date with MOT readings, service documents and the current odometer. Ask for evidence explaining the difference. A single auction reading cannot certify the vehicle’s true mileage or establish why a discrepancy occurred.
The report can help identify areas to investigate, but it does not inspect repairs. Ask for repair invoices, photographs taken during the work and details of any assessments. Arrange an independent inspection appropriate to the concerns. Neither an old auction photograph nor a current MOT pass establishes that every previous repair was carried out correctly.
Yes. The completed package is provided as a dedicated PDF in your downloadable report archive. It contains the available check result and returned auction entries. Keep the report together with the advert and seller correspondence. Supplied external image links remain dependent on their continued availability.
Ask the seller to explain the specific entry and provide supporting evidence before you commit. Compare the vehicle details, dates, damage descriptions and any images carefully. Contact CarExamer if you need help understanding the report or believe something is incorrect. A low price or verbal reassurance does not resolve a documented discrepancy.
Ready to investigate the earlier listings?Confirm the registration and choose your £0.99 report.
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