How to Check MOT History on Cinch
Cinch sells used cars online with home delivery and a 14-day returns policy. It's a convenient way to buy, but the smooth experience can make it easy to skip checks you'd normally do on a private sale.
The MOT history is still worth looking at before you commit. Here's how.
Why MOT history matters on Cinch
Cinch sources cars from auctions and part-exchanges. Every car goes through a preparation process before sale, but that doesn't reset the history. Past failures, advisories, and mileage records all remain on the DVSA database.
Checking the MOT record tells you:
- What the car looked like before Cinch got hold of it. Repeated failures or long gaps can indicate a difficult history.
- Whether the mileage adds up. Mileage at each MOT test should increase steadily and match the odometer reading.
- What advisories were present. Some may have been fixed as part of Cinch's prep. Others might not have been.
Even with a returns policy, it's better to spot a concern before the car arrives on your driveway.
The slow way: GOV.UK MOT checker
- Find the listing on Cinch
- Note down the registration plate
- Open a new tab and go to the GOV.UK MOT history checker
- Enter the registration and search
- Switch back to Cinch to compare
Five steps per car. The registration is usually visible in the listing or vehicle details page.
The fast way: Don't Buy A Lemon
The free Don't Buy A Lemon Chrome extension shows the MOT history automatically as you browse Cinch. No tab switching, no manual searching.
It reads the plate from the listing photos and shows you:
- Full MOT history with pass and fail results
- All advisories and failure reasons
- Mileage at every test
- An automatic flag if the mileage looks suspicious
What to look out for in the MOT history
Red flags:
- Mileage that drops or stays flat between tests
- Repeated failures on the same system
- A long gap in MOT records before Cinch acquired the car
- Advisories for structural or safety-critical items
Green flags:
- Consistent annual passes
- Steady mileage increases in line with the car's age
- Clean record with few or no advisories
Frequently asked questions
Is MOT history free to check? Yes. The GOV.UK checker is free. Don't Buy A Lemon is also free to install and use.
How far back does MOT history go? DVSA records go back to 2005 for most vehicles.
Does Cinch's prep process fix all MOT advisories? Not necessarily. Cinch carries out its own vehicle checks, but the scope varies. The DVSA record shows what was flagged historically. It's worth cross-referencing with the prep report Cinch provides.
Does Don't Buy A Lemon work on Cinch? Yes. It automatically detects the number plate from listing photos and shows the full MOT history inline, without leaving the page.