New used car check combines history reports with predicted repair costs
Tue, 30 Jun 2026
Automotive intelligence company MotorIQ has launched a new service Should I Buy This Car?, designed to offer used-car buyers a better understanding of the car they're considering, in particular what it might cost in the near future.
Should I Buy This Car? was created because co-founders Vik Barodia and Alex Wheatley knew lots of drivers who had stories about unexpected repairs and maintenance bills that came just after they'd bought a used car, despite carrying out the usual checks beforehand.
They named the difference between understanding a car's history and the true cost of maintaining, repairing and running it once you start living with it "the ownership blind spot" and set out to come up with a solution.
The result is a platform developed to open a buyer's eyes to the reality of living with their choice of used car, preventing the shock of unexpected extra costs down the line.
Reporting on the past and future
Setting out to buy a used car usually means checking service histories, MoT records and finance status, before making up your mind on a quick test drive.
However, understanding what that car will be like to live with – in particular if there are any big bills looming just over the horizon – once it's been purchased isn't always easy to predict.
Using Should I Buy This Car? involves putting the registration and mileage information of the car you're interested in into the website.
Then, for a fee, the platform gives you a report that includes information on common problems reported about that specific vehicle type, their severity and likelihood, plus the costs of putting them right. It also gives advice for what to look for on the test drive.
Potential buyers can also opt to pay to add a full Experian AutoCheck vehicle history report, giving both the more usual historical checks done before buying a used car, combined with forward-looking information for a more comprehensive picture of the car you're considering.
"History checks remain an essential part of buying used,” says Vik Barodia MotorIQ CEO and co-founder. “But they only explain part of the picture."
"Buyers also want to know whether they may be approaching a known high cost ownership phase, whether key preventative work is likely to have been carried out, and what they should specifically be checking before they commit to buying."
