Recommend me a HPI check please

[Galsia]

Tomorrow morning I'm going to view a car that I'm interested in buying. What HPI Checking site do you guys recommend? (I would just the search function but surprise, surprise, its broken)

Thanks.

[markmullen]

HPI is a brand, only HPI can HPI check a car.

In the trade we use HPI, a lot of the cheaper ones I've seen don't show finance interests which, TBH, is a lot more likely than an undisclosed write off.

[Dracoro]

The value of the proper HPI check is the guarantee should the data be wrong (which isn't uncommon). The proper HPI guarantees up to £30k I think. Most the rest (e.g. RAC check) are only £5k. Fine if the car is worth £5k or less of course.

Then there's WHAT they check.
The proper HPI (and some others but check, certainly the cheaper, the less they check/include) checks the following (and more no doubt).
Stolen
Written off
Financed
Colour changes
Plate changes
National Mileage Register (can help in finding out if the car is clocked etc.)
And so on.

You get what you pay for basically.

Given the price of most cars, £20 is nothing.

[Galsia]

Thanks,

I guess I'll go for the £14.99 one from the RAC. It checks all the essentials and covers up to £5000 (the car is worth just a tad over that, so no worries).

[Denis O]

Galsia said:

Thanks,

I guess I'll go for the £14.99 one from the RAC. It checks all the essentials and covers up to £5000 (the car is worth just a tad over that, so no worries).

And is an Hpi check by any other name.

[Galsia]

Denis O said:

Galsia said:

Thanks,

I guess I'll go for the £14.99 one from the RAC. It checks all the essentials and covers up to £5000 (the car is worth just a tad over that, so no worries).

And is an Hpi check by any other name.

Yes, I understand....

[Galsia]

Right, HPI check comes up as okay apart from the fact that the car curently has outstanding finance (not surprising really as the car is less than 2 years old).

What steps do I need to take to ensure this is sorted out before buying the car?

Thanks!

[ymwoods]

find out how much is owed on the car and then have the buyer knock this off the buying price. Phone the finance company up and then pay the outstanding balance yourself so you know it is done and dusted.

[bazking69]

I've always used RAC.

[Galsia]

I went to look at the car and have verbally agreed to buy it on the condition that he pays off the finance owed on the car first.

Rang him tonight and he says that he has paid off the money and has asked the finance company to send him a letter for proof. For my own protection though I want to do another HPI check just before I pick it up to confirm that it is payed off.

My question is, how quickly does the HPI database get updated? If he paid it off a day or two ago. Its is likely to be on the database when I run another check on sunday morning?

Thanks.

[Gizmo!]

A 2 year old car with less than 5k finance? What is it, a Kia?

[Galsia]

Gizmo! said:

A 2 year old car with less than 5k finance? What is it, a Kia?

Car is a Fiat Grande Punto. Car is worth £6k but the finance would have been more than that for a new car (about £10 I reckon). RAC HPI check covered up to £5k but I'll pay a bit more on the next check in order to get a bigger guarantee.

[markmullen]

You'll want your own confirmation of no further interest from the finance company. Phone the finance co with the seller present (because of data protection they'll want to speak to him too) and ask them to confirm no further interest, get them to fax a clearance letter through to you direct (not the seller), job done.

HPI can be up to a couple of weeks out of date, particularly with finance clearances.