About moValue

Our story

moValue started with a simple observation: almost every car valuation site in the UK is designed to funnel you straight to a single buyer. Type your reg into one of the big instant-buy services and you get one number, usually lower than you expected, with a countdown timer trying to push you into accepting it.

We wanted something different. As everyday drivers ourselves, we were tired of feeling like the dice were loaded. Comparing used-car asking prices across different ways of selling showed us how wide the gap between selling routes can be, often more than a thousand pounds on the same car.

So we built moValue: a free, no-login, no-obligation tool that shows you what your car is worth across all the realistic ways you might actually sell it. Private sale through an online advert. Dealer part-exchange. Instant sale to an online car-buying service. One search, three routes, clear estimates.

What we do differently

Most valuation tools quote a single retail figure, which is the price a dealer would list your car at, not what anyone will actually pay you. We do things the other way round.

• We start from real market data. Our model is checked against current UK used-car asking prices, and we work back from retail prices to what a buyer would realistically pay you.
• We show the full picture. You see the private sale estimate and the instant-buy figure and the part-exchange quote, so you can compare like for like.
• We integrate official DVLA and DVSA data. Your MOT history, mileage checks and registration details come directly from official UK government services.
• We do not hide behind signups. You do not need to create an account, hand over your phone number or wait for an email to see your valuation. The whole thing works in under a minute.

How our valuations work

Data sources. When you enter a registration we look up the vehicle's make, model, fuel type, engine size, first registration date and tax status from the DVLA Vehicle Enquiry Service, and its MOT history (test results, recorded mileages, advisories and defects) from the DVSA MOT history service. Our pricing model combines that with age, mileage and fuel-type adjustments that we calibrate against current UK used-car asking prices. The model is reviewed and recalibrated regularly.

What the three values mean.

• Private sale: an estimate of what another driver might pay you if you advertise the car yourself. Usually the highest figure, but it takes time and effort.
• Part-exchange: an estimate of what a dealer might allow for your car against the purchase of another one. Dealers need room for preparation, warranty and profit, so this is lower.
• Instant buy: an estimate of what online car-buying services typically offer for a quick sale. It is not a guaranteed offer; the buyer will inspect the car and set its own final price.

Limitations. Our figures are estimates, not offers or professional appraisals. We do not inspect the car, so we cannot see its condition, service history, number of owners, optional extras or exact trim unless you tell us. Cars under three years old have no MOT record, so their mileage may be estimated. Rare, classic, modified and very high-value cars have fewer comparable listings and are less accurate. Prices also move with the market, so a valuation is a snapshot of today.

How moValue is funded

moValue is free to use. We pay for it in two ways. First, affiliate commissions: some of the partner services we link to, such as vehicle history check providers, pay us a commission if you use them after clicking a link on our site. Second, advertising: some pages show ads served by Google.

Neither partners nor advertisers influence our valuations. Valuation figures are produced by our own model before any partner link is shown, partners cannot pay to change them, and we show values for every route whether or not we earn anything from it. See our privacy policy and cookie policy for more detail.

Who runs moValue

moValue is run by Juan Pedro Nguema, who founded it to make UK car valuations clearer and fairer. He analyses UK used-car prices and official DVLA and DVSA data.

How we write our articles

Our articles are written to be useful and easy to read. Every fact is checked against official sources such as GOV.UK, the Highway Code, DVSA, DVLA and SMMT, and we link to them at the end of each article. We date every article and review it regularly. moValue has no commercial relationship with the car makers or companies we write about. If we ever use affiliate links, they are clearly marked.

What we believe

Selling or buying a car is one of the biggest financial decisions most households make every few years. It should not feel stressful or opaque. We think drivers deserve:

• Honest numbers, even when the honest number is lower than hoped.
• Enough context to decide which selling route fits their life, not just the fastest one.
• Access to real vehicle history data without paying for a premium report just to see their MOT dates.
• Tools that respect their time and their privacy.