What is a HPI Car Check?
There are 2 versions to what an HPI Check actually is. One version, and the one understood by 99% of the people to be an HPI Check is "Hire Purchase Index" check. A search which will flag up any outstanding finance on a vehicle. The other version is that HPI has no meaning and is just the name of the trading company of HPI Limited. HPI Limited use this reason to prevent anyone else from performing an HPI Check. They have trademarked this name to prevent anyone else from performing what is generically known as and HPI check. As no one can advertise or include the terms HPI in their site, HPI come automatically top of all the internet search engines and charge whatever they feel like to perform this check, usually to the public at £37.00. HPI Limited will do the same check to others at less than £5.
As all but HPI LImited is prevented from referring to an HPI Check, the other providers call there service an "Car Data Check", a term which is much more accurate as there is data in there which includes information on accidents, theft and mileage amongst others.
The 2 biggest information providers in this industry are
- HPI Limited which is owned by Equifax, and trades as "The AA" or "HPi" both will do the exact same check for the money, usually around £37.00 to the public and around £5 for trade.
- Experian owned by Arriva, who trade through "The RAC", again this company also charges the public £36.00 and sells the same data to trade at around £5.
These are the only companies that have data regarding outstanding finance on vehicles, because these are the only 2 who can supply data on outstanding finance on vehicles, they can charge what they want and often do, hence the £37 for the public and the same check for £5 to traders
There are a few other companies that will supply data for all the other information required, such as accident history and thefts etc, but they aren't allowed access to the financial database. These usually do the checks for around £14 and some will supply the car data for less than £6's.
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