Ask Frank, your free car history advisor

Frank reads a vehicle's official record — DVLA data and the full DVSA MOT history — and explains it in plain English. He is free, needs no account, and is built for the moment you are standing in front of a car you are not sure about.

What you can ask him

Frank is most useful on the questions a record raises but does not answer.

  • “What does this MOT advisory actually mean, and is it expensive?”
  • “The mileage barely moved for two years — should I worry?”
  • “It failed on corrosion in 2022 and passed a week later. Is that a real repair?”
  • “What is a Cat N marker, and what should I ask the seller?”
  • “This car has had five keepers in three years. Does that matter?”
  • “What should I check before I drive two hours to see it?”

What Frank can see

He works from the same official sources as the free check: the DVLA vehicle and tax record, and every MOT test DVSA holds, including failures, advisories and the mileage recorded at each test. Where you have bought a Full History Check for a vehicle, he can talk through what it found — finance, write-off markers, stolen status and mileage anomalies.

He cannot see the car. Condition, repair quality and how it drives are not in any record, which is why his answers point you at what to inspect rather than pronouncing a verdict.

What he will not do

  • Value a specific car — condition decides that, and no record holds it
  • Diagnose a fault, or tell you what a repair will cost at your local garage
  • Give legal advice on a dispute — that is a matter for Citizens Advice or Trading Standards
  • Tell you a car is safe to buy on the strength of paperwork alone

How to get a useful answer

Start with the registration. Run the free check so Frank has the record in front of him, then ask about the part that worries you — a specific advisory, a gap in the MOT history, a mileage reading that does not fit. Specific questions get specific answers; “is this a good car?” gets a summary.

Useful next steps, whatever he says: the MOT history, the mileage record and, before money changes hands on a private sale, a Full History Check for finance, write-off and stolen markers.

Frequently asked questions

Is Frank free to use?
Yes. Frank is free and needs no account. There are fair-use limits to keep the service available, and paid report data is only discussed with the person who bought that report.
What can Frank actually see?
The official record for the registration you ask about: DVLA vehicle and tax data, and the DVSA MOT history including advisories and mileage. If you have bought a Full History Check for that vehicle, he can discuss what it found.
Can Frank tell me what a car is worth?
No. Frank is a history advisor, not a valuation tool. A valuation is included in the Full History Check, but what a specific car is worth depends on condition, which no record can tell you.
Can Frank tell me whether to buy a car?
He can tell you what the record says, what it does not cover, and which questions to put to the seller. The decision, and the inspection that should inform it, stay yours.
Does Frank keep my conversations?
Anonymous conversations are deleted after 30 days. If you are signed in, your chat history stays in your account until you delete it or close the account.
Is Frank a mechanic?
No. He reads records, not cars. Nothing he says replaces an inspection, a test drive or professional advice.