What's actually different between providers
Most UK vehicle history providers license data from the same small pool of sources: DVLA, DVSA, insurers, and finance houses via industry registers. Because of that, the core finance, write-off and stolen markers tend to agree between providers for most cars. What varies more is how much extra detail is included (mileage timelines, service history, valuation), how the report is presented, and how quickly a provider updates its data after a new record is added.
What to actually compare
- Data freshness: some providers update finance and write-off data faster than others after a change is recorded.
- What's included in the base price: some bundle mileage and service history in; others charge per extra check.
- Clarity of the report: a plain-language explanation of what a marker means is more useful than a raw data dump.
- Support if something looks wrong: can you actually reach someone to query a result?
Making the decision
For most buyers, the practical answer is: pick one reputable provider and run it properly, rather than agonising over which of several near-identical services to use. If you're weighing up MOTCO specifically against another well-known name, MOTCO's own comparison page sets out how its coverage and pricing line up.
Running several free, partial checks and trying to piece them together usually takes longer and leaves more gaps than one paid check covering finance, write-off, mileage and stolen status together.
Common questions
Do all vehicle history checks use the same data?
Largely yes for the core markers (finance, write-off, stolen), since providers license from similar industry sources. Extras like mileage timelines and valuations vary more between providers.
Is a more expensive vehicle history check always better?
Not necessarily. Price often reflects how much extra detail is bundled in, not how accurate the core finance and write-off data is. Check what's actually included before assuming a higher price means better coverage.