Advertisement versus record: turn a mismatch into a precise question

Preserve the claim before trying to explain it

Save the advert wording, its date and the specific feature or identity detail you are checking. Copy the original units and qualifiers, such as estimated, optional or seller states. If an advert changes, retain the earlier version alongside the replacement. Do not edit the original note to fit a later explanation; keeping the sequence helps you understand what was represented at each stage.

Use one worksheet row per question. An engine description, power figure, gearbox type and equipment package are different claims even when they appear in the same sentence. Record the source of each comparison value. If the factory source is only a general model page, say so, rather than treating it as individual vehicle evidence.

• Claim, date and source location.
• Comparison value and the record it came from.
• Exact question and the evidence needed to resolve it.

Choose the right record for the question

The official DVLA information service lists registration-related and technical fields including engine size, fuel type, manufacture year and first registration. It is not advertised as a complete factory-options inventory. Use manufacturer evidence for a claimed build configuration and a demonstration for the operation of fitted equipment. A source can be useful without answering every specification question.

GOV.UK’s buying guidance recommends checking the supplied details against DVLA information, checking MOT status and history, checking safety recalls and examining the log book. At the viewing it also recommends comparing the VIN and engine number with the log book. Follow those official checks directly; our page does not perform them behind the scenes or retrieve a result when you complete a worksheet.

Review differences without forcing a conclusion

Different text may reflect abbreviations, different units, distinct dates or genuinely different claims. Begin by establishing which quantity and event each source describes. Do not silently normalise an ambiguous horsepower label or merge model year with registration year. Convert a figure only when the original convention is known, and keep both the original and converted figures in your notes.

Ask a narrow written question that identifies the discrepancy. For example, ask whether the quoted power is PS or mechanical horsepower and which manufacturer source supports it. That is more useful than asking whether the entire advert is accurate. Record the seller’s explanation as an explanation, then identify what further evidence would establish it. A plausible answer is not the same as a verified one.

• Blank is unknown, not zero and not an absent feature.
• Matching text can still be wrong or copied from the same source.
• A text difference is a review flag, not a fraud finding.

Use the brief to decide what needs attention next

Prioritise identity and safety questions over convenience features. Keep an unresolved VIN or engine-number concern separate from a minor spelling difference. Seek appropriate help or pause the transaction when a material question remains open. Download your notes for the viewing and add the outcome later, with a date and source. Do not treat a completed comparison as a clean history report or recommendation to purchase.