What vehicle history checks will and won’t reveal
What an HPI Check Does and Doesn’t Tell You
As written by Andre Jackson
HPI checks can be an extremely valuable tool to aid you when buying a used vehicle. Buying a used car is always risky, so being able to carry out a check beforehand can provide excellent reassurance.However, before applying for an HPI check, it’s useful to understand exactly what it does and doesn’t tell you. Here, you’ll discover everything you need to know about these valuable checks to help you decide if it’s worthwhile to get one.
What will an HPI check reveal?
A standard HPI check can tell you the following information…
- A basic description of the vehicle
- Whether it has outstanding finance
- If there’s police interest in the vehicle
- Whether it’s been written off
The description provided relates to the information the DVLA has about the vehicle. It includes things such as its make, model, colour, engine size and how many owners the car has had.
If the check finds the car has outstanding finance, it’s worth avoiding. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, it wouldn’t technically be yours. The fact the check also reveals whether there’s any police interest in the vehicle, such as it’s been reported as stolen, is also useful in determining whether it is worth buying.
So, as you can see, an HPI check from a company such as HPI Limited, can provide really useful information to help you determine whether or not to buy the used car you’re looking into.
What won’t an HPI check reveal?
While an HPI check can be extremely useful, it’s worth noting there are some things it cannot tell you.
Most importantly, it will not give you the names or addresses of the previous owners. You’ll see how many owners have had the car and when it was last exchanged, but you won’t be given personal details of the owners. So, if you’re hoping to do a more extensive check, you’ll be disappointed.
It also doesn’t let you know how many accidents the car has been in. The only time accidents show up on an HPI check is if an insurer has listed the vehicle as a write-off. This information is obviously important, so you’ll have to ensure you carry out a full inspection of the car before you agree to buy.
Overall, an HPI check can be valuable when it comes to buying a used car. However, there are limitations to what it can tell you and it’s important to be aware of these before you apply.