What a VDI Check is
The Club Lotus Vehicle Data Interrogation (VDI) Check is a same-day, pre-purchase report on any UK-registered vehicle, produced by Club Lotus Ltd. It draws live data from four sources – the DVLA, the DVSA, the Motor Insurance Anti-Fraud and Theft Register (MIAFTR), and the Police National Computer (PNC) – and returns a single, clearly laid-out PDF covering the factual questions every sensible buyer should ask before handing over money for a used car.
It is designed for the private buyer as well as the enthusiast. Whether you’re considering a 2016 Evora 400, a Seven-derived track toy, a family Discovery, or anything else on the UK roads, the VDI Check answers the same questions in the same format.
What the report tells you
Every VDI Check includes, as standard:
- Outstanding finance – any active HP, PCP, lease or other finance agreements recorded against the vehicle, with lender, agreement number, date and contact details where a flag is raised
- Insurance write-off – any category A, B, C, D, N or S record on the MIAFTR database
- Stolen vehicle status – live check against the Police National Computer
- Mileage consistency – every recorded mileage reading on file, with average annual mileage and sequence validation
- Full MOT history – every test on record with date, mileage, result, defects and advisories (dangerous, major and minor)
- Keeper history – number of previous keepers, acquisition and disposal dates
- Plate transfers – all registration changes with dates and prior plates
- Colour history – current and original colour, with change dates
- V5C certificates – all issue dates
- Scrapped / Certificate of Destruction / export / import status
- Manufacturer specification – make, model, variant, series, production dates, engine, power, torque, performance, emissions and NCAP where available
A single headline at the top of the report tells you immediately whether anything needs attention: No issues detected (green), or Check carefully (amber) with the specific flags listed.
Why it matters
A used vehicle with clean paperwork can still have outstanding finance against it. Title can transfer, liability may not. A mileage discrepancy can take thousands off the true value. A write-off record can invalidate insurance. None of this is visible from a forecourt inspection – it has to come from the underlying registers.
The VDI Check is built to surface those facts in one place, in plain English, in time for you to walk away or negotiate.
How it works
- Add the VDI Check to your basket and complete checkout
- At checkout, provide the vehicle registration number you wish to check
- Your report is produced and emailed to you as a PDF, usually within minutes during working hours
- A copy is retained against your Club Lotus account for 12 months
Each report is individually referenced and stamped with a unique data transaction ID for audit purposes.
What the report is not
A VDI Check is a documentary and data check. It is not a physical inspection, a mechanical assessment, or a valuation. It reflects the data held by the source registers on the date and time of the check; subsequent changes will not be shown. Club Lotus Ltd makes no representation as to the future status of the vehicle, and no VDI Check replaces a competent pre-purchase physical inspection. Always view the vehicle and its documentation in person before purchase.
About Club Lotus
Founded in 1956 and celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2026, Club Lotus is the world’s largest independent Lotus enthusiasts’ club. The VDI Check is one of a growing set of consumer-focused services delivered by Club Lotus Ltd (Companies House no. 05212328) as part of our commitment to better-informed ownership – for Lotus drivers, club-eligible marques and the wider community alike.
Reports are produced in partnership with Vehicle Data Global Ltd, with data sourced directly from the DVLA, DVSA, MIAFTR and the Police National Computer.
