For new drivers & first cars
First car making a weird noise?
Find out if it's normal.
Record the sound, answer two quick questions, and get a plain-English idea of what it might be — before you panic, and before anyone talks down to you at a garage.
From £1.99 · No subscription needed · Audio never leaves your phone
Some noises are normal.
Some aren't.
Usually nothing
- A brief squeal from the brakes on a damp morning
- A short belt chirp on a cold start
- A light rattle just after a car wash
Worth checking soon
- Squealing on every single stop
- A humming that grows with speed
- Clicking on full-lock turns
Mechd helps you tell the difference in about a minute — and tells you honestly when it's probably nothing.
Walk into the garage
knowing what to say
Older first cars often get quoted high because the driver visibly doesn't know what the noise is. A Mechd report gives you the likely cause, a typical UK cost range for your exact car, and the two next-most-likely causes — so you can have an informed conversation instead of just nodding along.
Auto Trader, 2025 — survey of 2,000 UK drivers testing sound-based fault recognition. Carly / Motoring Research, 2026 — survey of 2,000 UK motorists.
Buying your first car?
Record it before you buy it.
On a test drive, record any noise the car makes. A £1.99 sound check on a £2,000 car is the cheapest second opinion you'll ever get. It also works if you're sending the listing to a parent — forward the report instead of a voice note.
A garage "we'll take a look" fee
is typically £30–£100.
A Mechd sound check is £1.99.
Single result
one-off, never expires
- 1 full result
- Primary cause & confidence
- Severity rating
- Cost estimate
- Find a mechanic
Credit pack
3 results · credits never expire
- 3 full results
- Primary cause & confidence
- Severity rating
- Cost estimate
- Find a mechanic
Pro
cancel any time
- Unlimited results
- Full result reports
- Unlimited saved vehicles
- Result history
What other new drivers say
[Placeholder — approved testimonial copy pending. Content team: do not publish without Legal sign-off. Testimonials must be genuine, unedited, and not selectively chosen to misrepresent overall user sentiment.]
— Ellie, 2012 Corsa
Frequently asked questions
Will it work if I don't know anything about cars?
Yes — that's exactly the point. There's no jargon to understand first. Record the sound, answer two plain questions, and Mechd suggests what might be going on and what to ask a mechanic.
What if the noise is nothing?
Mechd may suggest no serious fault is indicated for what it's hearing — and that's still useful. A lot of noises drivers worry about turn out to be harmless, and knowing that is worth the £1.99 on its own.
Is it a real mechanic?
No. Mechd gives AI-generated suggestions to help you understand what might be wrong. It's not a professional mechanical assessment, so always confirm with a qualified mechanic — especially for anything involving brakes or steering.
Does it record my voice?
No. Audio is analysed on your device using frequency analysis — the microphone listens for car sounds, not voices. The recording is never stored or transmitted. Only a text label describing the sound type is sent to the AI alongside your symptom answers.
Not sure what you're hearing?
Record your noise, get a plain-English idea
Mechd listens to your car's noise, asks two quick questions, and suggests possible causes before you book anything in. £1.99 for a full result.
Try MechdAI-generated suggestions only. Mechd is not a qualified mechanical service. Always consult a qualified mechanic before making decisions about your vehicle's safety or roadworthiness.