HPI Check

[garylythgoe]

Hi all,

Is there any difference between a HPI check from www.hpicheck.com vs a HPI check from the RAC?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Gary

[mrmr96]

I wouldn't have thought so, as I believe they'll be using the same database. I'm interested to hear if this is not the case though.

[GC8]

The usual difference bwteen an HPI check and a cheaper check, say £3 on a mobile phone, is their accessing the financial interest database.

I pay three pounds, because no matter what HPI would have you believe a car which was on finance will be registered in my name and I will obtain good title to it. The finance company cant repossess it or seek payment from me - their only redress is with the vendor.

'HPI' is a pointless product for end users (although invaluable for traders) and the massively over-priced retail product which they push is based on ignorance which they happily and repeatedly shore up through misleading and dishonest advertising.

[CallorFold]

I used Autotrader when I bought my car. It gave a pretty comprehensive check listing details about the car, the number of previous keepers, the mileage from the mileage database.

£20 for 1 check I seem to remember and I've got a PDF printout to keep hold of too.

[monthefish]

GC8 said:

I pay three pounds, because no matter what HPI would have you believe a car which was on finance will be registered in my name and I will obtain good title to it. The finance company cant repossess it or seek payment from me - their only redress is with the vendor.

HPI, despite its name, provides more than simply hire-purchase information.

Being 'registered in your name' is just that; it does not mean you are the legal owner of that vehicle, and if that vehicle turns out to be stolen etc, you may very well lose the car.


As for HPI check vs others, the £20-odd quid difference isn't much in the grand scheme of used car buying, however HPI is the only one (I think) that offer a guarantee of their information (although how good this guarantee is in practice, I don't know as I've never had to test it out).

Also, I'm not sure any other others provide the same extent of information that HPI provide, such as registration plate changes etc, which is all useful information when piecing together the history of a car.

[mrmr96]

monthefish said:

GC8 said:

I pay three pounds, because no matter what HPI would have you believe a car which was on finance will be registered in my name and I will obtain good title to it. The finance company cant repossess it or seek payment from me - their only redress is with the vendor.

HPI, despite its name, provides more than simply hire-purchase information.

Being 'registered in your name' is just that; it does not mean you are the legal owner of that vehicle, and if that vehicle turns out to be stolen etc, you may very well lose the car.


As for HPI check vs others, the £20-odd quid difference isn't much in the grand scheme of used car buying, however HPI is the only one (I think) that offer a guarantee of their information (although how good this guarantee is in practice, I don't know as I've never had to test it out).

Also, I'm not sure any other others provide the same extent of information that HPI provide, such as registration plate changes etc, which is all useful information when piecing together the history of a car.

You're both not answering the OP's question. He's asking to compare a full HPI check from HPI vs a full HPI check from RAC. These £3 "text check" things are not part of his question.

[monthefish]

mrmr96 said:

monthefish said:

GC8 said:

I pay three pounds, because no matter what HPI would have you believe a car which was on finance will be registered in my name and I will obtain good title to it. The finance company cant repossess it or seek payment from me - their only redress is with the vendor.

HPI, despite its name, provides more than simply hire-purchase information.

Being 'registered in your name' is just that; it does not mean you are the legal owner of that vehicle, and if that vehicle turns out to be stolen etc, you may very well lose the car.


As for HPI check vs others, the £20-odd quid difference isn't much in the grand scheme of used car buying, however HPI is the only one (I think) that offer a guarantee of their information (although how good this guarantee is in practice, I don't know as I've never had to test it out).

Also, I'm not sure any other others provide the same extent of information that HPI provide, such as registration plate changes etc, which is all useful information when piecing together the history of a car.

You're both not answering the OP's question.

And saying "I don't think so" is?

I'm sure the OP is capable of accessing both companies websites and comparing what each of them offer, however I suspect the purpose of him posting a question on a forum is to get real experiences on the matter.

[Dracoro]

mrmr96 said:

You're both not answering the OP's question. He's asking to compare a full HPI check from HPI vs a full HPI check from RAC. These £3 "text check" things are not part of his question.

Typically it's the level of guarantee, HPI (which is a brand btw) covers to £30k I recall and RAC is only to £5k (figures may have changed in last few years). So if the car you are buying is worth less than £5k then either will be OK, if >£5k then HPI is the way to go.

[GC8]

monthefish said:

GC8 said:

I pay three pounds, because no matter what HPI would have you believe a car which was on finance will be registered in my name and I will obtain good title to it. The finance company cant repossess it or seek payment from me - their only redress is with the vendor.

HPI, despite its name, provides more than simply hire-purchase information.

Being 'registered in your name' is just that; it does not mean you are the legal owner of that vehicle, and if that vehicle turns out to be stolen etc, you may very well lose the car.


As for HPI check vs others, the £20-odd quid difference isn't much in the grand scheme of used car buying, however HPI is the only one (I think) that offer a guarantee of their information (although how good this guarantee is in practice, I don't know as I've never had to test it out).

Also, I'm not sure any other others provide the same extent of information that HPI provide, such as registration plate changes etc, which is all useful information when piecing together the history of a car.

Thats four paragraphs of nothing.

Im fully aware of what HPI do and what they dont do. The real area of risk comes via bailment type 'finance' which will in all likelihood, not be recorded anywhere.

HPI goes to great lengths to suggest that a punter innocently buying a conventionally financed car in ignorance will lose out and this is simply untrue.

HPI offer a 'guarantee', but it has more exclusions than a seive has holes, so good luck there.