Weekly Market Pulse
UK Used Car Market: Weekly Roundup, 4–10 October 2026
Like-for-like asking prices flat (+0.15%), median up 1.3% to £13,170 as stock shifted younger. Fuel, age, and price band splits from the matched-dealer panel.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · October 2026 · 3 min read
Monthly Market Report
Used Car Prices Flat in September 2026
76-plate month brought longer listing times, sharper price cuts, and a shift towards older stock. Prices down 17% vs August, days on forecourt up to 45, and over a third of listings reduced. The data.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · October 2026 · 6 min read
Selling Guide
How to Sell Your Car to a Dealer and Get the Best Price
Preparation checklist, negotiation tactics, part-exchange vs cash sale, and common mistakes that cost sellers hundreds. How to walk away with the best offer.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · October 2026 · 8 min read
Selling Guide
Private Sale vs Part Exchange: Which Gets You More Money?
We compare the real costs, time, risks and returns of each option so you can decide which way to sell your car in the UK.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · October 2026 · 7 min read
Selling Guide
How Much Is My Car Worth? Free UK Valuation
Find out what your car is really worth with a free instant valuation based on live dealer prices. Covers dealer, private sale, and trade-in values.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · October 2026 · 8 min read
Selling Guide
What Dealers Look for When Buying Your Car
Understand exactly what dealers check when they value your car. From bodywork to service history, know what matters most and how to present your car for the best offer.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · October 2026 · 8 min read
Selling Guide
When Is the Best Time to Sell Your Car in the UK?
Month-by-month guide to when prices peak, when to avoid, and how plate changes, seasons, and mileage affect your car's value.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · October 2026 · 7 min read
Worth Buying?
Is the Abarth 500 Worth Buying? Honest Guide
Clutch life, boost issues, what they actually cost to run, and how to spot one that has been looked after. The real story on Abarth 500 and 595 ownership.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · October 2026 · 5 min read
Worth Buying?
Is the Nissan 350Z Worth Buying? What to Know First
What to budget for, where they rust, which ones have been thrashed, and how to spot a good one. The honest take on 350Z ownership.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · October 2026 · 5 min read
Worth Buying?
Is the Vauxhall Astra Worth Buying? Honest Take
Which engines to avoid, what years are solid, and what to check before handing over cash. Straight answer on used Astra ownership in 2026.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · October 2026 · 5 min read
Free tools
13 Free Car Checks You Probably Didn't Know Existed
MOT history, mileage verification, ULEZ compliance, known faults, running costs and more. What each one tells you, when it matters, and a practical approach to using them when buying a used car.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · September 2026 · 8 min read
Quarterly Market Review
UK Used Car Market: What Changed in Q3 2026
Diesel dropped below petrol on price for the first time. EVs are selling faster than everything else. Land Rovers are sitting for seven weeks. The quarter in data.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · September 2026 · 7 min read
Weekly Market Snapshot
Weekly Market Snapshot: 4 September 2026
Tesla Model 3 selling in 20 days, Transit Connects sitting for 7 weeks, 29,000 new listings tracked. The numbers that matter this week.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · September 2026 · 4 min read
Market Data
Automatic vs Manual: The UK Used Car Market Has Quietly Shifted
Automatics now outnumber manuals on dealer forecourts. But dig into the data and it is a two-speed market: premium brands are 80%+ auto, mass market is 80%+ manual.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · September 2026 · 6 min read
Market Data
Where the UK Used Car Market Really Sits: A Price Bracket Breakdown
43% of dealer stock sits between £5,000 and £15,000. Sub-£5k is shrinking. What you can actually buy at each budget, and where the gaps are forming.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · September 2026 · 7 min read
Definitive Guide
Car History Check UK: The Complete Guide (2026)
Every provider queries the same databases at different prices. What a history check actually includes, what it costs, what they all miss, and how to properly check a used car before buying. Built on nearly 200 million MOT records and 508 engine fault profiles.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · September 2026 · 14 min read
Buying Guide
Free Car Check UK: What You Actually Get (and What You Don't)
What a free car check really includes, what it misses, the scams to avoid, and how to get the most useful data before spending a penny. With real examples from our 730-variant engine faults database.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · September 2026 · 12 min read
Buying Guide
How to Check if a Car Has Finance On It (2026 Guide)
One in three used cars was bought on finance. If the seller hasn't settled it, the finance company can repossess from you. How HP and PCP work, how to check, and what to do if finance is found.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · September 2026 · 10 min read
Buying Guide
How to Check a Car's Service History Before You Buy (2026 Guide)
A seller says "full service history" in the advert. But how do you actually verify that? How to check digital dealer records online, what they show, and what to watch out for.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · August 2026 · 4 min read
Buying Guide
Full Service History: What It Actually Means (And Why Sellers Lie About It)
There is no legal definition of "full service history." Here is what FSH should mean, how sellers misuse the term, and how to verify the claim before buying.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · August 2026 · 5 min read
Buying Guide
Service History Check vs Car History Check: What's the Difference?
An HPI check does not include service history. They are different products that use different data. Here is what each one covers and why most buyers need both.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · August 2026 · 4 min read
Buying Guide
Does Service History Affect a Car's Value? Here's What We Know
Full service history adds real money to a used car's value. We break down how much it matters, which brands benefit most, and what missing records cost you at resale.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · August 2026 · 5 min read
Buying Guide
Buying a Used Car Without Service History: What You Need to Know
No service history does not automatically mean neglect. But it does increase your risk. What to check, how much to negotiate off, and when to walk away.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · August 2026 · 5 min read
Weekly Market Update
What's Your Car Actually Worth Right Now? July 2026
Part-exchange values, negotiation tips and variant-level pricing for Fiesta, Corsa, Golf, Qashqai, Puma and Sportage. Which to buy, which to sell, and what to expect at the dealer.
Get Car Wise Data Team · 28 July 2026 · 8 min read
Buying Guide
How to Check if a Car Has Been Written Off (Cat S, C, N Explained)
Around one in five used cars has a write-off marker. What each category means, how to check for one, how much it knocks off the value, and what the different categories actually involve.
Sam @ Get Car Wise · June 2026 · 7 min read
Dealer Insights
UK Used Car Market: May 2026
Listing times, price reductions, fuel mix and stocking patterns from UK dealer forecourts during May 2026.
Get Car Wise Data Team · June 2026 · 5 min read
MOT Data Investigation
We Analysed Nearly 200 Million MOT Tests. Here's What We Found.
Government MOT data reveals which UK cars fail most, what breaks first, and the mileage at which everything starts going wrong. 1 in 4 Ford Kas. Half of all Defenders. The Suzuki Jimny. The results are genuinely surprising.
Get Car Wise Data Team · April 2026 · 10 min read
Buying Guide
Your Car History Check Is Missing Half the Picture
HPI, AA, RAC. They all pull the same two government databases. They will tell you if the car was written off. None of them will tell you what is about to go wrong. Here is the gap nobody talks about.
Get Car Wise · April 2026 · 8 min read
Buying Guide
The Real Cost of Buying a Used Car (It's Not the Asking Price)
The sticker price is the easy part. What catches buyers out is everything that arrives in the months afterwards. Here is how to calculate the true cost before you hand over any money.
Get Car Wise · April 2026 · 9 min read
For the Trade
The UK Used Car Trade Has a Data Problem
Dealer margins are at 5.4%. Cap HPI costs £800 a month. Warranty companies are pricing policies on gut feel. Finance firms are underwriting on historical data that tells them nothing about forward risk. There is a better way.
Get Car Wise · April 2026 · 10 min read