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Car Check
HPI Check

We’re partnered with HPI Check to help you get the best car check.

 

A car check will help and protect you from buying a car with a hidden history, like being a write-off, scrapped, stolen or having outstanding car finance.

Never buy a used car without checking the vehicle’s history first!

Start your journey to being car confident by buying a car history check from just £9.99.

Remember: a free car check won’t tell you if it’s stolen! Every month, an average of 1,208 miss out because they don’t buy a comprehensive vehicle history check.

Data analysis from Oct ’19 to Jul ’20.

How HPI Check works

Enter registration

Enter registration

Enter the reg number into their vehicle checker so they can identify the car

HPI Check report

HPI Check report

Get your instant HPI Check report and reveal the car’s true history

Activate guarantee

Activate guarantee

Activate their guarantee by entering the chassis number and logbook details

HPI Check reviews

“HPI gave us peace of mind when buying our car, and for a very reasonable cost. Could even confirm chassis number etc on the day. Would definitely use them again.”

Ken Jones (August 2018)

“Each HPI check has come back with very useful information about individual vehicles enabling me to make an informed decision about the right vehicle to purchase.”

David Jenkins (August 2018)

Car check FAQ

A car check will confirm the following details:

  1. Vehicle Description – a car check will confirm the car description registered with the DVLA. This will include the year of manufacture and date of first registration in the UK as well as the number of previous keepers registered and the date of last keeper change
  2. Plate changes – Where the car has undergone one or more registration plate changes, you will be advised of each previous registration plate and the date it was applied to the vehicle. Each previous plate will be checked for any current title interests as described above
  3. Outstanding finance – If there’s an active loan or finance agreement on the car. A car history check also provides details on finance type, date of agreement, finance company and contact details
  4. Recorded stolen – If the car is currently recorded as stolen with the police
  5. Insurance write-off – If the car has been too badly damaged to be repaired safely or economically. Has the insurance company declared the vehicle a total loss?
  6. MOT History – Where available a car reg check will provide information directly from the DVLA from every MOT test, including mileage, advisory notes and the final pass/fail status
  7. VIN/Chassis check* – A car history check will check for issues recorded against the registration number and the vehicles identification number. *VIN required
  8. Imported/Exported – Has the car been imported or exported? It can be difficult to find out information on the history of the imported vehicle prior to its registration in the UK. It can be difficult to buy replacement parts for an import and the cost of insurance for an imported car is significantly higher. An exported vehicle should not be in the country which could raise questions about the identity of the vehicle. You would also not be able to insure a car that has been marked exported by the DVLA.

Information provided in the car check comes from a variety of data sources. These include: the DVLA, Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT), the Police, The Association of British Insurers, and numerous finance companies.

The report is delivered on screen to you immediately after you purchase the car history check. You will also get an email. You should save this email for future reference as you will require the reference number to update your car check.

A car check does not provide the names of or information pertaining to a car’s previous or current owner(s).

A car check will not provide information on every accident a car has been in. Accident damage is only identified where an insurance company has registered the vehicle as a write-off.

A car check will not provide any details on the service history of a car.

A car check will not assess the mechanical condition of a car. 

A car check will not provide any details if the car has been stolen and recovered unless there are outstanding interests or the vehicle was subject to being written off as a total loss by the insurer.

Where an interest is recorded on the car history check you will be advised as to the type of interest as well as an explanation as to what the interest means. If you are unsure what to do next please contact the seller and seek an explanation. If you are still unsure about the car purchase, do not go ahead with the transaction.

You of course want to protect your new pride and joy and ensure your investment is as exactly as it should be.

From 1954 manufacturers started using serial numbers to identify vehicles. There was no standard for vehicle identification numbers (VIN) and manufacturers all used their own individual coding system. This meant that a number of vehicles and other items could carry the same number. In 1981 a worldwide standard was developed for VINs and therefore every vehicle became unique and could be tracked back to its place of origin.

If your vehicle is pre 1981 then it’s possible for its non-unique serial number to be attributed to another vehicle or even vehicles. If this happens to you then HPI Check would be happy to provide you with a letter of authenticity after they have thoroughly investigated its history for you. There is no extra charge for this service.

What is a car history check?

A car history check provides a detailed look into the car’s past using its registration number to compile information. This info is usually taken from the DVLA, its service history, police databases, insurer information and private databases. 

If you’re buying a used car, you should always do a car check. It’ll give you peace of mind and reassurance when buying a second hand car. Car history checks can also check service history and tell you if the vehicle’s been involved in an accident and if it’s been scrapped. It’s one of the best ways to avoid car scams, but also your best bet to get a detailed picture about the car’s past. This invaluable information can help you steer clear of dodgy deals and vehicles with troubled service records.

At the same time, the information could also be used to negotiate a better sale price. For example, let’s say you we’re looking to buy a used car for sale, you could use its registration to check the history of the car and see if it’s had any recurring problems or faults. It could give you a good indication if the vehicle’s been looked after or not. And you could potentially use this knowledge as a haggling point with the car’s seller.

Similarly, if you weren’t sure which one of two cars to buy, you could do a car check to help you decide. Looking into the past of the two, you can see which one has had the least problems.

MotorHype is the UK’s leading online car selling website that advertises used cars for sale, motoring news, car shows and hosts an extensive car forum.

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MotorHype is a trading name of Hype Matrix Limited, 128 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX. All rights reserved.