What dealers say about stock
From research by Motorway, an online car-buying platform, with 500 dealership decision makers, as reported by AM on 12 November 2025:
| Finding | Dealers |
|---|---|
| Worried about stock shortages in 2026 compared with 2025 | 78% |
| Already lost sales because of stock shortages | 74% |
| Margins tightening when competing for the most desirable models | 46% |
| Reason for sourcing problems: difficulty finding affordable vehicles | 47% |
| Reason: competition from larger groups | 45% |
| Reason: limited access to privately owned cars | 33% |
| Still source vehicles through physical auctions | 34% |
| Agree digital sourcing will be essential in 2026 | 92% |
Source: AM, 12 November 2025. A survey by a company that sells stock to dealers; the questions and full method weren't published with the article.
The routes
Motor auctions
Cars are sold to the highest bidder, in person or online. On the law: under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 a person is not a consumer, for most of the Act's rules on goods, when “the goods are second hand goods sold at public auction” and “individuals have the opportunity of attending the sale in person”. (s2(5)) A dealer buying for the business isn't a consumer anyway; between businesses the Sale of Goods Act 1979 and the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 apply (below).
Part-exchange
The dealer takes the customer's own car as part of the price of another. A customer selling their own car isn't selling in the course of a business, so — as with any private seller — the term implied is that the car corresponds with its description; the quality and fitness terms apply only where the seller sells in the course of a business. (s13) (s14)
Other traders
Trade-to-trade sales: the Sale of Goods Act 1979 implies that the car is as described, of satisfactory quality and fit for a purpose made known (s14), and a contract term can limit that only so far as it satisfies the requirement of reasonableness (UCTA s6(1A)). More in Sold as seen.
Online platforms
Websites where sellers list their cars and dealers bid or buy remotely, often with collection arranged. In the Motorway survey, 92% of dealers agreed digital sourcing will be essential in 2026. (AM)
Private sellers
Buying direct from the owner, usually from an advert. In the Motorway survey, a third of dealers (33%) named limited access to privately owned cars as a reason for sourcing problems. (AM) The private seller's description is what the car has to match (s13).
A car's MOT history is public on GOV.UK by its number plate: whether each test was passed or failed, the mileage recorded at each test and when the next MOT is due — for cars, tests since 2005 (2017 in Northern Ireland). (GOV.UK) A write-off category shows in the log book for a Cat S car kept by its owner (GOV.UK) — see Write-off categories explained.
Private sellers on Motorwatchr
Motorwatchr gathers private-seller cars from the big UK sites into one list every morning, each with the advert's own words, the DVSA MOT history where the registration is known, a value rating against similar adverts when there are enough of them, and the link to the advert. You deal with the seller there. Starting out? Car flipping in the UK covers tax, VAT and trade plates.