How can I tell what optional extras a used car has?

Is there any way to determine which factory fitted options are present on a used car? I'm looking at BMW and Mercedes at the moment, and there are some wild differences in used prices, which I'm assuming is down to the options fitted. I've found in the past that the ads themselves are not always accurate, and dealers seem to refer to the adverts when answering questions relating to spec levels.

Asked on 24 January 2024 by Rad1sh

Answered by David Ross

Helpfully there are several websites that can decode the VIN of a particular car and give you a comprehensive list of the factory fitted options - just search for the name of the manufacturer and 'VIN decoder' and this should bring up some useful results.

The only issue is that you require the VIN to be able to use this facility, so if you are looking at a car that is advertised for sale and cannot obtain the VIN, it is more a matter of guesswork. If you search online for brochures for a particular vehicle they should provide a comprehensive list of standard equipment and also optional equipment, which will at least help you in determining the specification of a vehicle for sale.

Tags: buying optional extras used cars specification vin

Dear Honest John,

Please help me choose my next car. I would like it to have:

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