Buying a used car is one of the biggest purchases most people make, and the gap between a good buy and a bad one is almost always about preparation. Nearly 7.8 million used cars changed hands in the UK in 2025, but used-car complaints to The Motor Ombudsman rose 14% in the same year, reaching 18,570 cases. The most common causes were customer service failures and engine or component problems.
Most of those disputes were avoidable. This guide walks you through the process from working out what car you actually need, through to what to check …