When buying a used car, you need to understand its background, history, and condition. Before you send the money to the seller, it only makes sense to assess its condition by verifying the number of previous owners, duration of usage, and what the vehicle was used for—rental, lease, taxi, or private.
The general rule of thumb is that the higher the number of previous owners, the lower the car’s value.
By conducting a car history check, you can easily avoid some dishonest sellers who deliberately withhold certain information or provide the wrong records to ensure a better resale price. This fascinating piece will discuss why knowing about a car’s previous owners is essential.
Why Does the Number of Previous Owners Matter?
Understanding the number of previous owners provides a bigger and clearer picture of a car’s usage over the years. The number of previous owners can provide insight into a car’s mileage, maintenance, location, and usage.
Higher mileage means lower value
A car’s mileage, which is the number of miles it has covered in its lifetime, significantly affects its value. Generally, the higher the mileage or odometer reading, the greater the depreciation and wear and tear, which in turn lowers the resale value.
Mileage signifies the car’s age
In many cases, there is a direct relationship between a car’s mileage and the number of previous owners. Typically, the more owners a car has, the older it is and the higher the mileage it has.
However, this is not always the case. If a car’s odometer reading seems inconsistent with its age, it may have been tampered with—this is known as odometer rollback.
Usage type and location
The type of usage previous owners have for the car also significantly affects its mileage. For example, if the car was previously used as a cab or Uber, its mileage record would be much higher than private use.
Additionally, if the previous owners are located in areas with long commutes between places (i.e., remote cities), it might have higher mileage than other cars of the same age.
Differing maintenance between previous owners
Lastly, a car with multiple previous owners is likely to have had varied maintenance practices, as different owners may have different approaches to car care.
Despite this, it’s essential to perform a service history check to determine whether the car has been regularly serviced by its previous owners, regardless of how many there have been.
READ ALSO: Why a Mileage Check is Crucial When Buying a Used Car
How Do You Know How Many Owners Have Had a Car?
If you want to buy a used car and know the number of previous keepers, this section will provide four ways to verify the ownership history.
Logbook and Service History
Check the relevant documents, like the V5 logbook, and verify them with the vehicle check report, which you can get online. You may consider the purchase if the data tally, provided there are no other red flags. If you notice any discrepancies, you should walk away from the deal.
Ask the Seller
If you know the seller to be honest and transparent, you can ask all the questions that come to mind to enhance your buying decision. Be bold and ask as many questions as you can. If you’re comfortable with the responses, you should still engage a car history check tool.
Inquire from the DVLA
You can complete a form online with the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) to access the vehicle’s ownership history. Due to privacy laws, you must have genuine and legal reasons before accessing car details from the DVLA.
The DVLA check or assistance is more helpful for those in certain situations, like verifying who is responsible for a past accident or tracing the registered keeper of a car parked in an illegal area.
Get a Car Check or Vehicle History Report
Obtaining a car check report is one of the most effective ways to find out how many owners have used a car and many more information and records like accident and damage records, odometer readings, title records, theft records, and more.
Although there are no free car check options, you can still get an affordable car reg check report from trusted and reliable providers for a fee below €10. This amount is insignificant considering the comprehensiveness of the report you will get and how it can save you from losing your hard-earned money to some unscrupulous and illegal sellers.
Due to data privacy laws, you may be unable to find the previous owners’ names and addresses. If the situation warrants you to find the owner’s details, you need to contact the DVLA.
Are you looking for a reliable car check service online? You can leave the hard work to us using our reliable car check tool to uncover all details and records available on any used car.
How Many Previous Owners Are Too Many?
Every used car buyer will wish the previous owner(s) were one. However, having more than one owner doesn’t mean a car is a write-off or no-go, and there is no measure to determine when there are too many previous owners.
Ideally, you should not rely your decision to buy a car based on the number of owners it has. Instead, you should focus on the mileage, service history, and its overall vehicle history report.
Yes, the fewer owners a car has, the better. But as long as every owner has properly cared for it, and you are happy with the test drive experience, you should be good to go.
Conclusion
Buying a second-hand car can save you thousands of dollars, but it also comes at a risk, as many events and records may go unreported in a registration number check report. You can protect your investment and make a smart car purchase by buying from a trusted seller and physically inspecting the car by a specialist.
READ ALSO: What is a GT Car
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you check how many owners a car has had in Ireland?
In Ireland, you can know the previous owner’s number by using the gov.ie website Vehicle Status Enquiry Search service, which also allows auto owners to check the status of a change of ownership notification.
Can you check if the car was previously used as a taxi or Hackney?
Yes, it’s possible to check whether a vehicle is used as a Taxi or a cab, provided it has been registered with the UK’s local council.
Can you check if the car was ever a ‘Write-off’?
A car write-off check can be performed to determine whether the vehicle has been declared written off and assigned a category by the insurance company. Getting a car reg check is paramount in verifying that the vehicle has not been written off, thus providing peace of mind.
Can you perform an HPI check on your car for outstanding finance?
Yes. You can perform an HPI check for outstanding finance using a ‘Full Check’ report from an online vehicle report provider.
