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Worked example · one car from advert to offer

Watch an experienced read evolve from advert to offer.

Carl starts with the whole story, then keeps reading the same car as official records, seller evidence and physical findings arrive.

Scenario
Illustrative advert, MOT trail and seller replies
Live evidence
Dated DVSA cohort and asking-price snapshots are genuine

Swipe sideways to see all three options.

Keep the evidence connected from advert to offer.

AskCarl buyer checkExample BC-01

Worked candidate · 2019 petrol manual

Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSI Match

38,400 miles · £10,995 · private advert

Current picture: The picture mostly holds

Carl's experienced read

The price holds up; the history gap and tyre quote now shape the offer.

The official trail supports the advert mileage, the model evidence focuses the viewing, and an illustrative buyer-entered £420 tyre quote turns a vague concern into deal maths.

Advert onlyPrice stands out
After evidenceSaving survives, with £420 immediate spend

£4.99 once · 7 days for this car

01Before travelProve the advert is worth your timeHistory still open
Individual vehicle fileRecord

Five MOT mileages rise consistently.

MOT 1MOT 2MOT 3MOT 4MOT 5

No mileage reversal appears in the available trail. The full entries remain attached to this car.

Model-year patternDVSA · 2024
34,702eligible tests
10.1%did not pass first presentation

Context for what to inspect—not a prediction that this Golf will develop a fault.

Advert proof audit3 claims checked
Registration
Seller confirmed
Two working keys
Seller confirmed
“Full service history”
Earlier coverage unclear
02At the viewingCheck the five things that matter firstReal cost found
  1. 01
    Earlier service coverage

    Match invoices to the claimed intervals.

  2. 02
    Tyres

    Measure tread and check age and condition.

  3. 03
    Brakes

    Check condition and behaviour on the road test.

  4. 04
    Suspension and steering

    Listen and feel for movement or noise.

  5. 05
    Cold start and warnings

    Start from cold; test warning lights and electrics.

03Before an offerPut the price and remaining gap togetherOffer changed
Matched asking-price snapshot13 close adverts · Aug 2026
£10,995This advert£11,299Lower quartile£12,684Median£12,995Upper quartile

These are asking prices captured in August 2026, not sold values. Sample quality and observation dates stay visible in the live file.

Tyre-adjusted position£10,575£10,995 asking price less the buyer's £420 written quote; not a valuation
Cost carried in
£420 tyre quote
Still unresolved
Earlier service coverage
Walk away if
The history gap worsens
That is the £4.99 file:one car, seven days, evidence carried from advert to offer.
Check an advert free
Evidence key

Known, claimed and still unknown stay separate.

Official record
Retrieved vehicle evidence
Seller claim
Useful, but not proof on its own
Missing proof
Keep unresolved until evidence arrives
Important boundary
Requires another check or inspection
What AskCarl cannot prove

Asking prices are not sold values. Finance, stolen and write-off provenance still require a separate history check, and condition still requires a physical inspection.

Read the methodology

Start with the advert

Put your next candidate through the free screen.

Paste an AutoTrader or Gumtree advert. For eBay or Facebook Marketplace, paste the wording or add screenshots. Three free car screens, no card.

Check an advert freeExplore the sample workspace

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