Mileage that goes backwards.
A reading lower than an earlier one is the classic sign of a clocked car.
UKFZ11 TDC2011 Ford Focus, 1.6 diesel
The recorded mileage goes down between tests
Forewarned
Know what you're buying.
A mechanic's read of any car's MOT history. Free on iPhone.
Every MOT is recorded by the DVSA: the result, the mileage, and every failure and advisory the tester wrote down. It's a long list most buyers can't read. Forewarned reads the whole record the way a mechanic would, and turns it into a verdict you can act on.
Get the highlights.
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Type the reg. Or scan the plate.
Point your camera at a number plate and Forewarned reads it on your iPhone. Or just type it in.
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Every finding, and what it'll cost.
Tap anything the record shows to see the MOT entries behind it, and what the work costs at an independent garage.
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Mileage that goes backwards, flagged.
A reading lower than an earlier one is the classic sign of a clocked car. Forewarned puts it at the top of the report.
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Every MOT. Every advisory.
See every test, every failure and every advisory, with a chart of the car's mileage over the years.
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Shortlist it. Compare it.
Star the cars you like and see them side by side, with the best record marked.
How it reads a car
Seven things a mechanic looks for.
Forewarned reads the whole record using the checks Jamie makes before buying a car himself. Every finding comes with the MOT entries behind it.
Problems that keep coming back.
The same thing advised test after test, and never put right.
3MOTs in a row with
the same advisory
Front coil spring corroded
Front coil spring corroded
Front coil spring corroded
Warnings that became failures.
An advisory that was ignored until the car failed on it.
AdvisoryFront brake disc worn
MajorFailed on the brake disc
Rust that's getting worse.
Corrosion wording that moves from surface rust towards weakened metal.
Work left outstanding.
Advisories on the latest test are the bills the next owner inherits.
AdvisoryBrake pipe corroded
AdvisoryFront coil spring corroded
Low-mileage diesels.
Short trips clog a diesel particulate filter, however tidy the car looks.
Time off the road.
Long gaps between tests mean the car sat, and sitting causes its own faults.
The verdict
One score. Every reason underneath.
Every check gets a clear verdict and a score out of 100 for how well the car has been looked after on paper. It rates the record, not the car, which is why every finding is listed under it.
- Good recordClean passes, nothing recurring and nothing left to run.
- Worth a closer lookSomething that needs a straight answer before you buy.
- Serious concernsWalk away until it's explained.
UKFZ19 GLF
2019 Volkswagen Golf
1.5 petrol · Grey
MOT until 19 Mar 2027
Reg. Mar 2019
100of 100
Good record
A well kept record
Clean passes, nothing recurring and nothing left to run. On the paperwork this is the sort of history you want to see. Still get it inspected, because an MOT never looked at the clutch or the gearbox.
MOTs
5
0 failed
Per year
8,438
miles, on average
Mileage
51,240
at the last MOT
What the work costs
Real repair costs.
Not guesses.
Each job is priced at Jamie's own workshop rates, for a base model car with cost-effective parts at an independent garage.
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Brakes
£80 to £250
per axle
Pads alone are £80 to £140. Pads and discs together are £150 to £250. A disc advisory almost always means both.
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Suspension
£30 to £180
per component
Drop link £30 to £60, ball joint £80 to £160, shock absorber £120 to £180. Shocks are usually replaced in pairs.
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Tyres
£55 to £140
per tyre, fitted and balanced
Budget brands at the low end, mid-range at the top. An advisory often covers more than one tyre, so price it per corner.
Mr Auto Fixer workshop rates, Colchester, September 2026. Base model car, cost-effective parts. Main dealers, performance models and run-flat tyres cost more.
Where a job varies too much from car to car to give an honest range, the report says to get it quoted instead of guessing.
Shortlist
Star it. Compare it. Decide.
Star the cars you like and compare them side by side: the record, the mileage, the MOTs passed and the jobs to price. Share a report with whoever's buying with you.
Who made it
Built by a mechanic.
Forewarned is made by Jamie Hands, an MOT tester and mechanic who runs a garage in Colchester and the Mr Auto Fixer YouTube channel. It reads a car's MOT history using the checks he makes before buying one himself, and prices the work at his own workshop rates.
Private by design.
Forewarned doesn't need to know who you are to tell you about a car. Your list of checks and your shortlist stay on your iPhone.
No account.
Open it and check a car. There's nothing to sign up to.
No adverts.
No adverts in the app. Just the report.
No tracking.
Nothing follows you across other apps or websites.
The camera reads the plate on your iPhone, and no picture ever leaves the phone. Only the registration you confirm is sent, to read that car's MOT record. The report is kept for 12 months so it can be opened again, then deleted. Read the privacy policy
What it can't tell you.
An MOT never looks at the clutch, the gearbox or the inside of the engine, and it's a snapshot of one day. Forewarned also isn't a check for outstanding finance, write-offs or theft. Use a vehicle history check for those, and have the car inspected.
Forewarned.
A mechanic's read of any reg.
Free. For iPhone with iOS 17 or later. UK registrations.