Search guide

How to search for
your next car.

Every car site works in much the same way: a location, a make and model, then filters for the things that matter to you. Here’s how to get the most from a search, and from Motorwatch while you do it.

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Step by step

From postcode to shortlist.

01
Pick a site and set your location
Open any supported website and enter your postcode with a distance you’d be happy to travel. A wider radius finds more cars, and more cars means more listings with a price history.
02
Add your must-haves
Choose the make and model, then narrow by year, mileage, fuel, gearbox or trim. Keep it to what really matters: every filter you add hides cars you might have liked.
03
Set a price range with some headroom
Set your maximum a little above budget. A car listed just over it may already have been reduced, or may be open to a sensible offer.
04
Scan the results for price changes
With Motorwatch installed, listings in the results show their recorded price drops, rises and days tracked. Every car on the page is also recorded, so its history keeps building.
05
Open the ones worth a closer look
Check the full price history, enter the registration for available MOT history, and save notes on your shortlist. Take the questions it raises to the seller.