2014 BMW X3 · 83,000 advertised miles · £9,990 asking price
Buyer summary
Demonstration: This sample uses previously saved records, including a maintenance review dated 27 August 2026. It is not a current check of a car for sale. The cost forecast uses example estimates, and the separate Sale Story example is made up. We’ve left out registration numbers and seller details.
What matters most
The asking price is close to the valuation recorded at the time. There are a few important things to sort out before paying: finance linked to the car, missing service paperwork and a difference between the service and MOT mileages. We also couldn’t confirm whether any safety recalls were outstanding.
How much information was available?
96% of the expected information sources responded
This does not mean there is a 96% chance that the car is in good condition. Some service details are still missing, and the recall check was unavailable. A check can return information and still raise a concern.
Know what you’re buying
Identity, finance & recorded history
- Car details · The records match
- The advert’s details agree with the vehicle records we received. When you view the car, check that its registration and identification number match the original documents too.
- Finance · Needs sorting out before payment
- The finance check showed unit-stocking finance: borrowing a dealer uses to fund cars it holds for sale. Before paying or taking ownership, get written confirmation from the lender or dealer that this finance has been settled or the car cleared for sale. A lower price does not remove the need for that confirmation.
Data provided by Experian
- Salvage · No record found in this check
- Salvage records can show damaged vehicles offered for sale. This check found no record at the time. That does not prove the car has never been damaged, and an insurance write-off check covers different information.
- Safety recalls · Not confirmed
- We couldn’t complete the recall check. A recall is when a manufacturer asks for a safety issue to be checked or fixed. Ask the manufacturer or an authorised dealer whether this car has any outstanding recalls; we cannot give it an all-clear without that information.
MOT & mileage: two records that don’t match
The mileages on the MOT records follow a consistent order. However, one service record shows more miles than an MOT carried out just three days later. Comparing the two sets of records helps spot something that the MOT history alone would not show.
Scroll the table to see all columns.
| Date | Record | Mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 6 December 2024 | Service record | 58,126 miles |
| 9 December 2024 | MOT record | 56,583 miles |
Your next step: ask for the original service invoice and MOT paperwork to help explain the 1,543-mile difference. It could be a typing error. This difference alone does not prove that someone has changed the mileage.
These records also show three separate MOT failures and past tyre, windscreen and suspension issues. The latest recorded MOT mileage is 82,450, compared with 83,000 in the advert. Past faults may already have been fixed, so ask for repair invoices and have the car inspected to check its condition now.
Question for the seller: “Can you explain the December 2024 mileage difference and show what was done about the tyre, windscreen and rear suspension findings?”
Servicing: what still needs checking
The report compares the manufacturer’s service recommendations with the records we could find. When a record doesn’t show whether a particular job was done, we suggest what to ask the seller. Missing paperwork does not mean the work was missed.
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| Item | What we know | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & oil filter | The records do not confirm when these were changed. | Ask for the latest invoice showing the work, date and mileage. |
| Brake fluid & cabin filter | There are related service entries, but they do not confirm that these items were changed. | Ask for later invoices or online service records listing the work. |
| Air & fuel filters | The service information says to change these at every second engine-oil change. | Check the service sequence and evidence that the additional work was included. |
What to do next: start by asking for the paperwork. If work is due or an inspection finds a problem, get a written garage quote. Where the records don’t tell us how often to change the oil or what a job costs, we leave that unanswered rather than guess.
Know what you’re paying
Price comparisons & talking to the seller
- Advertised price
- £9,990
- Valuation at the time
- £9,672
- Difference
- +£318 / +3.29%
At the time of the check, the asking price was close to the estimated value. This is a useful starting point for a conversation, not a guaranteed sale price. We found three adverts to compare, but only one was a close match.
Scroll the table to see all columns.
| Car | Asking price | Mileage | Why the match matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| A · Close match | £11,000 | 72,000 | Similar year, model version, fuel and gearbox; lower mileage. |
| B · Some differences | £6,650 | 98,000 | Higher mileage, with a different emissions standard and engine power listed. |
| C · Some differences | £6,499 | 111,636 | Much higher mileage, with a different emissions standard and engine power listed. |
How you could discuss the price: “The price looks close to the valuation, but could you help me with the service records and mileage difference? If the inspection finds work that needs doing, would you be happy to arrange the repair or discuss the price once we have a quote?”
The cheaper cars have important differences, so they may not be fair comparisons. We also don’t know what they eventually sold for. Neither the £318 difference nor the estimated maintenance budget guarantees a discount. Finance still needs to be cleared separately before you pay.
Vehicle Sale Story
We don’t have earlier adverts for this BMW in the saved records. When earlier adverts are available, a report can show how the asking price, mileage and seller details have changed. We’ve kept that information blank for this car because we don’t have it.
See a made-up example of earlier adverts
Made-up example — this is not the BMW’s history. These three example records show the questions earlier adverts can raise. The dealers are made up too.
- 1–5 January 2024 · Example dealer A £19,000 asking price · 60,000 recorded miles
- 1–5 February 2024 · Example dealer A £18,000 asking price · 61,000 recorded miles
- 1–5 March 2024 · Example dealer B £18,500 asking price · 62,000 recorded miles
What it shows: the recorded asking price fell by £1,000, then rose by £500 with a different seller name. Recorded mileage increased by 2,000 across the records.
What it does not show: whether the car sold, changed ownership, stayed advertised throughout the gaps between these records or received repairs. Seeing the car advertised again does not, on its own, mean there is a problem.
What you could ask: “Can you explain the earlier adverts, mileage increase and change in asking price, including any work completed between them?”
Know what it could cost you
An estimated budget for the first year
This example budget is based on 8,000 miles over 12 months. The figures are estimates to show how a forecast works; they are not confirmed costs for this BMW.
8,000 miles over 12 months
- Servicing
- £420
- Repairs
- £780
- Tyres
- £360
- MOT
- £55
These example estimates help with planning. They are not a quote or a guarantee, and they don’t mean a particular repair is needed.
What you’ll need to add: fuel, insurance, vehicle tax and any finance or other purchase costs. The estimate also leaves out depreciation — the amount the car may lose in value. The £1,615 total does not mean these repairs are due, and it does not change the report’s recommendation about buying the car.
Use it to plan: keep quotes for work the car needs separate from estimated costs. Before adding a repair quote to the forecast, check whether you’d be counting the same work twice. Build your first-year budget.
Vehicle tax: status and cost are separate
- Tax status at the time
- Untaxed, with a recorded tax expiry of 7 August 2026. This tells you what the record said then, not whether the car is taxed today.
- Annual tax amount
- Not available in this example. We haven’t guessed a rate from the car’s model or tax status. When a tax quote is available in a report, we show it separately from the estimated maintenance costs.
- What to check
- Check the car’s current tax status and what it would cost you to tax before buying. Allow for this separately in your budget. The seller’s tax does not transfer to you: you must tax the car before driving it on the road, even if the rate is £0.
Your buying plan
Before travelling
- Ask which service records are available, including oil, filters and brake-fluid work. Request copies if convenient, or arrange to see them at the viewing.
- Ask about the December 2024 mileage difference and which documents could help explain it.
- Ask how the seller will confirm the finance is cleared and whether any safety recalls are outstanding.
At the viewing
- Check the registration and identification number against the original documents.
- Ask an independent inspector to assess tyres, windscreen, suspension and brakes, using the earlier records to guide the checks.
- Compare original invoices with the advertised maintenance claims.
Before paying
Make sure the finance is cleared and you’re happy with the answers about the records and inspection. Check your full budget and get any agreed repairs in writing. If something important still worries you, take time to sort it out before paying.
The result: a clearer idea of what to ask for, what to check in person and which costs to discuss. The report helps you decide, while leaving you room to walk away if the answers aren’t reassuring.
Use the full used-car buying checklist , or read what to check alongside a history report and how to check your own advert.
What AI does
AI explains the checked evidence. It doesn’t invent the vehicle facts. It helps turn findings into seller questions, viewing checks and points to discuss about the price.
What AI cannot do
AI cannot change what a check found, fill in missing facts or inspect the car for you. It also cannot guarantee the car’s future condition. We’ve clearly labelled the example forecast and made-up Sale Story so you can tell them apart from checked records.
Check the car you are considering.
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