UK car buying questions, answered
12 questions about buying and running a car in the UK, each answered in full at the top of its own page and traced back to the rule, the regulator or the dataset it comes from. Where a rule applies only in England, Scotland and Wales, the Northern Ireland position is given alongside it.
Car finance
The statutory positions, including the two that almost every UK consumer page states incorrectly.
Can I hand my car back if I have finance on it?
Yes, and it is a statutory right. But the point at which it costs nothing falls later than halfway through the term.
Does section 75 cover my car finance?
Not on an ordinary dealer-arranged HP or PCP agreement. Two other routes do, and they are stronger.
Am I owed compensation for mis-sold car finance?
The FCA scheme is confirmed but partially suspended, so no lender is currently required to calculate or pay.
Running costs
What a car costs to keep on the road, worked from published figures rather than round numbers.
Is an electric car actually cheaper to run than petrol?
It depends almost entirely on where you charge, and the spread is more than tenfold.
Do I need to tax a car I have just bought?
Yes, before you drive it. The seller’s tax was cancelled and refunded the moment they told DVLA.
Can I use E10 petrol in my car?
Every new car made since 2011 is compatible, so a 2011-or-later car is fine.
MOT
Grading, advisories and failure rates, from the DVSA’s own published statistics.
What does an MOT advisory mean, and will it fail next time?
An advisory is not a failure and does not automatically become one. Nor does a Minor defect.
Why do cars fail the MOT most often?
Lamps and electrical equipment are the most common failure. Tyres are the most dangerous.
Is my car exempt from the MOT?
If it is over 40 years old and unmodified for 30. That is a different rule from the tax exemption.
Buying and your rights
What to ask before you pay, and what the law gives you afterwards.
What questions should I ask a car dealer?
The ones tied to something checkable: MOT history, service record, tax band, finance and the V5C.
What are my rights if a used car breaks down after I buy it?
Thirty days to reject it outright, and six months where the fault is presumed to have been there all along.
Will my car be charged to drive in the ULEZ?
It turns on the emissions standard rather than the age, and most cars already meet it.
Work it out for your own car
The answers above give the rule. These work out what it means for a specific car and a specific set of numbers.