Used-car check for first-time buyers in India

Know the car before you buy it.

Enter the number plate of the car you're thinking of buying. Parakh checks its registration details, walks you round the car, reads your photos and adds up three years of running costs. Then it tells you to buy, negotiate or walk away, and how much to ask off.

Coming soonGoogle PlayComing soonApp Store
See how it works
  • Red-flag check on the RC
  • Photo check by AI
  • 11 Indian languages
Sample check
INDCG 04 MK 2187
Hyundai i20 · 2018 · Petrol · Chhattisgarh
Verdict Walk away, or get a mechanic's report first 49/100Four inspection problems and a loan still on the car.
If you still want it, ask for ₹48,000 off

Tyres, clutch and battery due in year 1 (₹44,500), plus ₹3,500 in unpaid challans.

  • Loan still recorded with HDFC BankCheck this
  • Pedal wear doesn't fit the odometerCheck this
Sample car. Real checks run in the app.
18inspection checks you can do yourself, 5 of them deal-breakers
9areas to photograph; the AI fills in the checklist for you
3 yrsof service and repair costs, priced from published sources
11Indian languages, from Hindi and Bangla to Tamil and Punjabi
Inside the app

The whole check, on your phone.

Real screens from the Parakh app.

Start with the number plate: Type it or scan it with the camera.
Start with the number plateType it or scan it with the camera.
Records: Red flags in the RC, explained.
RecordsRed flags in the RC, explained.
Inspection: 18 plain-word checks, deal-breakers marked.
Inspection18 plain-word checks, deal-breakers marked.
Running costs: Three years, with every source.
Running costsThree years, with every source.
Verdict: One answer, and what to ask off.
VerdictOne answer, and what to ask off.
The problem

Three things you can't check by looking.

A used car from a private seller comes with a story and a deadline. For a first-time buyer, the important parts are hidden in records, under the bonnet and in next year's bills.

Are the papers clean?

Loan still recorded with HDFC Bank

A car with an open loan can't move to your name until the bank signs it off. Unpaid challans and an expired PUC follow the car too.

Is the car what it seems?

Pedal rubber worn smooth at 52,410 km

Worn pedals, uneven panel gaps and a freshly washed engine are easy to miss while the seller is talking.

What will it cost next year?

₹44,500 of repairs due in year 1

On this 2018 i20, the tyres, clutch and battery are all due in the first year. That money belongs in the price you agree.

Parakh checks all three, then answers the question you actually have: should I buy it?

See the four steps
How it works

Four steps, one answer.

You do it standing next to the car, with the app telling you what to look at next. Each step feeds the one after it.

  1. 1Records

    The paperwork, checked line by line.

    Scan or type the number plate, then look it up free in the government's own mParivahan app and copy the RC details in. It takes about a minute. Parakh flags anything that needs settling before you pay.

    • Registration status and how many owners it has had
    • Any loan still recorded against the car
    • Insurance, PUC, blacklist and unpaid challans
    • Tells you what each flag means and what to ask the seller
    INDCG 04 MK 2187
    Hyundai i20 · 2018 · Petrol
    • RegistrationActiveFine
    • Owners3 owners alreadyCheck this
    • LoanYes · HDFC BankCheck this
    • InsuranceValidFine
    • PUCExpiredCheck this
    • Challans4 · ₹3,500Check this
    • BlacklistNot blacklistedFine
    Accident and odometer history aren't in government records. Ask for the insurance claim history and every service bill.
  2. 2Inspection and photo check

    A walk-round that knows what to look for.

    Walk round the car with an 18-point checklist written in plain words. Photograph 9 areas and the AI fills in the checklist, reads the odometer, the tyre date codes and the chassis number, and writes what it found in your language.

    Five checks are deal-breakers. If one fails, the verdict says walk away or get a mechanic first:

    • Rust on the boot floor
    • Dirty or oily coolant
    • Chassis number doesn't match the RC
    • Silt or water marks under the carpets
    • Smoke on a cold start
    • 01

      Whole car, each corner

      Front bumper is a shade lighter than the bonnet

      Check this
    • 02

      Panel gaps

      Bonnet gap is wider on the left side

      Check this
    • 03

      Tyres

      Date code 1419: made in April 2019

      Check this
    • 04

      Door bottoms, arches, boot floor

      No rust or bubbling paint

      Fine
    • 05

      Engine bay

      Coolant clean and at level, no leaks

      Fine
    • 06

      Dashboard, engine running

      Reads 52,410 km, no warning lights

      Fine
    • 07

      Pedals, steering, driver seat

      Pedal rubber worn smooth for 52,410 km

      Check this
    • 08

      Under the floor mats

      No silt or water marks

      Fine
    • 09

      Chassis number

      Matches the number on the RC

      Fine
  3. 3Running costs

    Next three years, priced today.

    Parakh forecasts service and repairs for your model at the car's real mileage. Problems found in the inspection move into year 1, where they belong in your price.

    • Every figure links to its published source
    • Where no reliable price exists, we leave it out and say so
    Covered today
    • Maruti Wagon R
    • Maruti Swift
    • Maruti Baleno
    • Hyundai i20
    • Honda City
    • Tata Nexon
    • Hyundai Creta
    • Kia Seltos
    • Toyota Innova Crysta
    • Mahindra XUV500
    Hyundai i20 · 52,410 km ₹61,494 over 3 years
    Year 1Year 2Year 3
    Repairs and wear itemsScheduled services
    • Tyres, set of 4 · moved to year 1 by your inspection₹30,400195/55 R16 Apollo Alnac 4G · Apollo Tyres shop
    • Clutch replacement · moved to year 1 by your inspection₹9,000Full clutch kit · Ride N Repair, 2026
    • Battery · due by age₹5,10040Ah · Cars24
    • Scheduled services₹5,015 a yearV3Cars
  4. 4Verdict

    Buy, negotiate or walk away.

    Records, condition and costs come together in one score and one plain answer. You also get the amount to ask off, with the reasons to show the seller, and the paperwork to finish before you pay.

    • Ask-off amount covers year-1 repairs and unpaid challans
    • Transfer steps: loan NOC and Form 35, Forms 29 and 30, insurance
    • Share it with family or your mechanic before you decide
    Hyundai i20 · 2018 · CG 04 MK 2187 Walk away, or get a mechanic's report first 49/1004 inspection problems, loan still open.
    If you still want it, ask for ₹48,000 off

    Tyres, clutch and battery due in year 1 (₹44,500) plus ₹3,500 in unpaid challans. Show the seller the cost list as your reason.

    Before you pay
    • Get the loan NOC and Form 35 from HDFC Bank before paying in full.
    • Match the chassis and engine numbers on the car with the RC.
    • Sign Forms 29 and 30 with the seller and file the transfer at the RTO within 14 days.
    • Transfer the insurance policy to your name the same week.
    • Pay by bank transfer, never cash, and keep a signed sale receipt.
One of a kind

Nothing else in India does all four.

Lookup apps stop at the records. Dealer inspections cover only the dealer's own cars. A mechanic sees the car, but not the paperwork or next year's bills. Parakh brings all of it into one answer, for any car from any seller.

What you get Parakh Lookup apps Dealer inspections Mechanic visit
Registration details: owners, loan, insurance, PUC Red flags explained Yes Own cars only No
Works for any car, from any private seller Yes Yes No Yes
Condition check of the car 18 checks No Own cars only Yes
Reads odometer, tyre dates and chassis number from your photos Yes No No No
Three years of running costs for the model, with sources Yes No No Rough estimate
How much to ask off the price, and why Yes No No Their opinion
Transfer paperwork steps for your car Yes No Own cars only No
One clear verdict: buy, negotiate or walk away Yes No No Their opinion
Independent of the seller Yes Yes No, they sell it Yes
Covers 9 of 9 3 of 9 0 of 93 in part 3 of 93 in part

Lookup apps show registry records for a number plate. Dealer inspections are reports from platforms that sell their own used cars. Based on what used-car apps and services in India offered in October 2026.

What records can't show

When nobody can know something, we say so.

Some of the most important facts about a used car aren't in any government record. Parakh is clear about those gaps and tells you how to cover them.

Accident and claim history

India has no public source for insurance claims. Parakh tells you to ask the seller for the claim history from their insurer, and the photo check looks for repainted panels and uneven gaps that point to a repair.

Past odometer readings

The Vahan registry keeps no odometer readings. Parakh reads the dashboard from your photo, so you can compare it with the seller's service bills and with the wear on the pedals and seat.

What you didn't check

Skip a photo or a check and the verdict lists it. Parakh won't call a car good to go when fewer than half the inspection checks are answered.

What we will never tell you No accidents found. This car is clean.
What we tell you instead Accident history isn't in government records. Ask for the claim history.
11 Indian languages

Read the verdict in your language.

Every screen, finding and report. Prices, kilometres and number plates stay in 0–9 digits, so you and the seller read the same numbers.

  • English en

    Ask for ₹48,000 off the price.

  • हिन्दी Hindi

    क़ीमत में ₹48,000 कम माँगें।

  • বাংলা Bangla

    দাম থেকে ₹48,000 কম চান।

  • தமிழ் Tamil

    விலையில் ₹48,000 குறைக்கக் கேளுங்கள்.

  • മലയാളം Malayalam

    വിലയിൽ ₹48,000 കുറയ്ക്കാൻ ചോദിക്കൂ.

  • ಕನ್ನಡ Kannada

    ಬೆಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ₹48,000 ಕಡಿಮೆ ಕೇಳಿ.

  • తెలుగు Telugu

    ధరలో ₹48,000 తగ్గించమని అడగండి.

  • मराठी Marathi

    किमतीतून ₹48,000 कमी मागा.

  • ଓଡ଼ିଆ Odia

    ଦାମରୁ ₹48,000 କମ ମାଗନ୍ତୁ।

  • ગુજરાતી Gujarati

    કિંમતમાંથી ₹48,000 ઓછા માગો.

  • ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Punjabi

    ਕੀਮਤ ਵਿੱਚੋਂ ₹48,000 ਘੱਟ ਮੰਗੋ।

  • Your phone's language

    Parakh starts in it, and you can switch any time in Settings.

परख pa·rakh
The name

Tested the way a jeweller tests gold.

Parakh means testing the true worth of something. A jeweller rubs gold on a dark touchstone and reads the mark it leaves. Our logo is that test: a gauge on a dark stone, with the needle reading high.

We built Parakh for the first-time buyer standing next to a car, with a seller who wants an answer today. You get the same calm, careful check every time, before any money changes hands.

Pricing

Start free. Pay only for the car you're serious about.

Free

₹0with ads

For every car you look at.

  • Red-flag check on the registration details
  • 18-point guided inspection
  • Three years of running costs, with sources
  • Verdict, ask-off amount and paperwork steps
  • Share a text summary
  • No AI photo check
Get the app

Pro

₹499a month

For buyers comparing several cars.

  • No ads
  • One complete report every month
  • More reports at ₹299 each
  • Cancel any time from the app store
Get the app

Prices in Indian rupees. You pay through Google Play, and sign in only when you buy, so your reports move with you to a new phone.

Questions

Before you ask the seller, ask us.

Straight answers about where the data comes from and what it can't tell you.

Where do the registration details come from?

From the government. You look the number up free in the official NextGen mParivahan app or on the Parivahan website, under RC details, and copy what it shows into Parakh. It takes about a minute.

Parakh then checks those details for red flags, such as a loan still on the car, several owners or a lapsed policy, and tells you what to ask the seller.

Can Parakh tell me if the car was in an accident?

Not from records. India has no public source for accident or insurance-claim history. Parakh tells you to ask the seller for the claim history from their insurer, and the photo check looks for repainted panels and uneven gaps that point to a repair.

Which cars does it work for?

Any car with an Indian registration, including BH-series numbers. Running costs cover 10 popular models today: Wagon R, Swift, Baleno, i20, City, Nexon, Creta, Seltos, Innova Crysta and XUV500. For other models you still get the registration check, the inspection and a verdict.

I don't know much about cars. Can I still do the inspection?

Yes. Each check says where to look and what a problem looks like, in plain words. The five deal-breakers are marked. With the complete report, your photos do most of the work.

What happens to my photos?

They're sent for analysis only when you run the photo check, and we don't keep them. Your saved checks stay on your phone. The privacy policy explains what our server keeps and for how long.

Do I need an account?

Not to check a car. You sign in with your mobile number, email or Google only before buying a report or Pro, so your purchases follow you to a new phone. We store a masked copy of your number or email, never the full one.

Is Parakh paid by sellers or dealers?

No. Parakh doesn't sell cars and isn't paid by sellers. It works for the buyer. Most sellers are honest too, and a clear check helps an honest seller close the deal.

Is it on iPhone?

Parakh is coming to Android first, and the iPhone app follows soon after.

Know the car before you buy it.

Free to start. Check the papers, walk round the car and see the verdict before you hand over a rupee.

Coming soonGoogle PlayComing soonApp Store

Coming soon to Google Play. The iPhone app follows.