How it works.

From the listing you're looking at to the vehicle you keep for years, here is the path through the app.

Step

Enter the vehicle.

You create a free account in thirty seconds, then confirm your address with a code sent by email. Next, describe the vehicle you're interested in. Car or motorcycle, any make.

Make and modelVolkswagen Golf
Year2016
Engine1.6 TDI 110 hp
For the historyVIN (plate: coming soon)

The VIN isn't required for the reliability analysis. It's used for the history report: liens, theft, recalls, and depending on available data, owners, accidents and mileage.

Step

Read the report.

At the top, what decides a purchase: the verdict, the score out of 100, the max recommended mileage and the yearly maintenance budget. Any report can be taken further for €0.50, with a web search on recalls and recent feedback.

App screenshot: max recommended mileage 130,000 km, maintenance 600 to 1,100 euros per year, belt. — Real app screenshots

App screenshot: offer to take the analysis further with the web. — Real app screenshots

Step

Check zone by zone.

Engine, timing drive, gearbox, electronics, suspension, body. For each one: its strengths, its weaknesses, and what to check before you sign.

App screenshot: diagram of the Golf with the status of each zone. — Real app screenshots

App screenshot: Engine zone to watch, EGR valve and particulate filter. — Real app screenshots

Step

Keep it in My vehicles.

Once bought, the vehicle stays in the app: maintenance plan, service book with PDF export, recalls and reported defects, pre-inspection check, tires, and the right time to sell. Your reports stay available for free.

Premium tracks 2 vehicles: 1 car and 1 motorcycle, or 2 of the same type. Each additional vehicle costs €9.99 per year.

Where to use it.

iPhone and iPad

On the App Store.

Available

Browser

The web app, at motokars.com/app. Same account, same vehicles. For now, the service book stays on the device where you keep it; export it as PDF to hold on to it.

Available

Android

On Google Play.

Coming soon

Frequently asked questions.

Is it free?

The free account gives you one analysis, with any tool. For reliability, it shows the verdict, the score, the status of each zone and the detail of 2 zones; the rest unlocks with Premium, at €49.99 per year. Only one free analysis per account.

Do I need an account?

Yes. A free account takes thirty seconds to create, then you confirm your address with a code sent by email.

Does it work for motorcycles?

Yes. The motorcycle has its own report and its own zones: frame, chassis, cooling, final drive. The app also recommends gear for your rider profile.

What is the in-depth analysis?

It's an extended version of an analysis that relies on a web search to include up-to-date data, such as recalls and recent feedback. It costs €0.50 each, whatever your plan.

Which languages?

The site is available in about a hundred languages, including those written from right to left. The app is currently available in 43 languages, with more on the way.