HPI is advising students and newly passed drivers buying a used vehicle for the start of term to be cautious and not rush into any purchase – no matter how cheap – as they could end up buying more then they bargained for.
With 1 in 3 vehicles checked by HPI having some form of hidden history, we urge anyone starting university who is thinking of buying a used car to take a few simple precautions first. A car history check will tell you is the car your about ti by is:
Stolen
Every day hundreds of vehicles are stolen across the UK, a large number of which are sold on to unsuspecting buyers. Unfortunately, a student who buys a stolen vehicle is likely to lose both the vehicle and their money as it is still the property of the owner. As well as informing the purchaser if a vehicle has been stolen, the HPI Check includes a stolen V5C document check as standard, which will confirm it is not from a batch which were stolen from the DVLA in 2006.
Outstanding Finance
1 in 4 vehicles checked by HPI are still subject to an outstanding finance agreement. Those who buy a car which is still on finance have unwittingly bought a vehicle that is still owned by the finance company, who could claim it back at any time until the outstanding amount is settled. In addition to this,  a student who tries to sell on a vehicle that has finance outstanding is breaking the law – even if they had no knowledge of the agreement, as they are not the legal owner of the vehicle (the finance company is).
Write-off
A car may look shiny and new, but the paintwork might be hiding a vehicle that has been declared an insurance write-off. Whilst some of these can be repaired safely and returned to the road, others are only fit for scrap. The HPI Check not only identifies if a car has been written-off, but also which category of write-off, helping buyers make an informed decision about the purchase.
Clocked
With modern digital odometers now commonplace, clocking a vehicle to alter its mileage has never been easier for criminals to add hundreds, or even thousands, of pounds to its asking price as the traditional tell-tale signs of damage to the odometer will not be visible. The HPI Check will check a vehicle’s mileage against the National Mileage Register, which contains over 135 million mileage records and will inform a buyer if there is a mileage discrepancy.
If you would like more information on a car history check, visit us at www.hpicheck.com.