Do I Need a Vehicle Health Check & How Much Should It Cost?
Ellie Dyer-Brown, 3 months ago
5 min read
- Maintenance
- Cost
WhoCanFixMyCar looks at what vehicle health checks are, why they matter, and how much they cost.
A vehicle health check is an excellent way of keeping up to date with the overall health of your car’s key components, providing you with the peace of mind that comes with knowing everything is working fine.
Guide contents:
Do I really need a vehicle health check?
What is a vehicle health check?
Do I really need a vehicle health check?
It's a good idea to book a vehicle health check if:
You're buying a new car.
You're selling your old car.
You're going to drive your car after not using it for a long time.
You're going to be driving a long distance.
It's approaching winter.
There's no hard and fast rule about booking a vehicle health check. Sometimes it's just reassuring to know that your car is in good condition.
Before buying a new car, ensuring the vehicle is in good working order is essential. Otherwise, you could face a few nasty surprises when you get home.
Likewise, if you're selling your current car, you can get more for it and attract more buyers by proving that it has recently been through a vehicle inspection with flying colours. Follow this advice to get your car ready to sell; you can find out what documents you need here.
Cars that haven't been used for a long time - particularly older ones - may have developed some problems through lack of use, so before getting behind the wheel, it's worth checking that your vehicle is still safe to drive.
Breaking down in the middle of a long journey is the last thing you need; booking an inspection beforehand means you can drive confidently, knowing there are no underlying issues when you set off. Read our other tips for avoiding a breakdown.
Finally, winter is a harsh season that puts extra strain on our cars. Book an inspection before the bad weather hits to know your vehicle is ready for whatever lies ahead. You might also want to take a look at our ultimate winter driving guide.
What is a vehicle health check?
A vehicle health check determines whether your car is in good condition.
Once the check is complete, the garage will often generate a report highlighting your car's overall safety, reliability, and general roadworthiness. It may be colour-coded red, amber, and green to indicate any items that require further attention, allowing you to make a more informed decision about additional work that is needed.
The inspection generally takes no more than 20 minutes, and during that time, a trained mechanic will check all of the following areas while your car is in the garage:
How much should a vehicle health check cost?
Costs vary by manufacturer but the average price for a vehicle health check is £38.53.
| Car Make | Average Price |
|---|---|
| Audi | £43.22 |
| BMW | £43.11 |
| Citroen | £34.79 |
| Ford | £42.35 |
| Mercedes | £37.99 |
| MINI | £36.44 |
| Nissan | £36.52 |
| Peugeot | £35.68 |
| Renault | £35.90 |
| Toyota | £37.58 |
| Vauxhall | £36.15 |
| Volkswagen | £39.23 |
Do vehicle health checks save lives?
Driving can be dangerous - that's no secret. Estimates suggest that someone is killed or seriously injured on UK roads every 22 minutes.
Vehicle checks - whether carried out by you or a professional - can and do save lives. Booking a health check once or twice a year is a good idea. You can also perform several quick checks at home to help spot problems before they become serious.
These include tyres (you should visually inspect your tyres every day), fluid levels, battery (no need to test your battery; simply look for signs of wear and tear/corrosion) and lights.
These guides provide practical advice about checking and maintaining your vehicle:
Other useful vehicle checks
Here are a few other things you might want to check relating to a vehicle.
Check if my vehicle is taxed
You can check if your vehicle is taxed by visiting the government website. All you need to do is enter the number plate.
Check if a vehicle is stolen
Are you considering buying a car but want to carry out some checks first? Follow these steps.
Contact the seller and request the vehicle's make, model, registration number, and MOT test number.
Use the government's vehicle enquiry service to cross-reference the information you have been given.
Make sure the MOT is up to date and that the history matches that which was given to you by the car's seller.
The vehicle enquiry service from the DVLA provides information such as:
Tax expiry date
Year of manufacture
Year the car was first registered
Engine size
Tax band
Check if a vehicle is SORN
SORN stands for Statutory Off Road Notice, meaning that a vehicle is kept on private land and is no longer in use. You can use the government portal to check if a car is taxed or registered as SORN.
Vehicle spec check
Several online services allow you to check a vehicle's specs. All you'll need is the registration plate number. You can also use the government portal here, which will give you information such as engine size and colour.
WhoCanFixMyCar can help you find a reliable local mechanic for a vehicle health check.
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Written by Ellie
Ellie is WhoCanFixMyCar’s Content Writer. She has a BA in English literature from Durham University, a master’s degree in creative writing, and three years of experience writing in the automotive industry. She currently drives a Suzuki Swift.