No charge for an incorrect VIN
Unlike our competitors' PPSR / REVS checking web sites we check that you have entered a valid VIN before we charge your credit card!
Buying a used car from a private seller ?
If you buy a car from a private seller you must get a PPSR report on the vehicle. The report will tell you if it has been reported as stolen or there is finance on the vehicle. If there is finance on the vehicle and it is not paid out then the finance company can still re-possess the vehicle.
If you find the vehicle is encumbered ask your seller to provide you with a written payout letter from the finance company. This is usually valid for 7 days. In your arrangements with the seller ensure that you pay the finance company and the balance to the seller. Do not pay the seller the full amount and trust that they will pay the finance company; if they do not the finance company is still entitled to re-possess the vehicle.
Use our VINCheck report to show the vehicle as it was when it was first registered. Compare this with the car and check that it has not been re-badged.
Using our independent Glass’s valuation will tell you if you are paying too much for the vehicle.
Selling your car privately?
Get an independent valuation for your car. Dealer trade-in valuations are usually less than
the market value for your car. Don’t be mislead by advertised prices on car web sites, they
will be higher than a private buyer is willing to pay. Buying from a dealer has a number of
advantages: the car is cleaned and detailed, title is guaranteed, warranty is provided and
they can arrange finance. To forgo these advantages the private buyer will be looking for a
better price than that offered by dealers.
Run a PPSR report for your car. You do not have to provide the report to your buyer but it
will certainly help your buyer’s confidence when you show the valuation report and the PPSR
report proving that the vehicle is what you say it is.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find the VIN?
You will find the VIN or Vehicle Identification Number either in the engine bay, the passenger side door pillar,
on the dash viewable through the windscreen. It can also be found on registration and insurance documents.
What does PPSR mean?
Personal Property Securities Register. A real-time online register of security interests over assets and personal property. The register is maintained by the Commonwealth and was established under the PPS Act of 2009.
What is a VIN?
Vehicle Identification Number. A unique serial number given to every motor vehicle. The PPSR register records all security interests or encumberances by VIN not be registration number.
A VIN is always 17 characters long. Every character in every position has a meaning relating to the make, model, year of manufacture and vehicle details. A VIN can only be made of the following characters: 0 - 9, A - Z excluding letters I, O and Q.
The first three characters make up the World Manufacturer (WMI). Every volumn manufacturer in the world is assigned its own WMI.
What is NEVDIS?
National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information System. NEVDIS is a national database of all registered vehicles in Australia. Check that Car! accesses data from NEVDIS as part of the PPSR report.
NEVDIS only records vehicles built from 1st January 1989. The VIN for every car manufactured or imported has to be loaded into NEVDIS before it can be registered.
If your vehicle is not listed on NEVDIS it could be because:
- The VIN has not been uploaded onto the database by NEVDIS. Most unlikely unless the car was imported in the last 7 days or it was built before 1989.
- The VIN you have been given is incorrect.
How is the valuation made ?
Check that Car! has direct access to Glass’s valuation database. Glass’s Information Services is Australia’s only independent vehicle valuation service and used by nearly all the motor vehicle insurance companies. The valuations are made through a combination of data collection, market analysis and mathematical models. All auction companies, for example, send their sales data to Glass’s Information Services.
Every combination of vehicle’s model, series, engine size, transmission has a unique code. This code is given to every registered car since 1960. Check that Car! sends your VIN to this database, gets the unique Glass’s code and then looks up the current Glass’ valuation.
Why is the valuation a range?
All new cars start off in showroom condition but after a couple of years use they have different values for many reasons: higher than average use, service record, general condition of the interior and paintwork. The current market conditions also effect the value of a car, for example, January & February traditionally have higher than average prices as there is a shortage of ex-lease stock.
What is the Written-off vehicle register?
The written-off vehicle register records the details of vehicles that are not more than 16 years old that have been classified as written-off or wrecked. Written-off vehicles are classified either as statutory or repairable write-off.
A statutory write-off is too badly damaged to be repaired to a standard that is safe for road use. The VIN is recorded as a statutory write-off and the vehicle is not allowed to be registered. These vehicles are only suitable for use as parts or scrap metal.
A repairable write-off has been assessed as uneconomical to repair. The VIN will be recorded as a repairable write-off and the vehicle will only be registered if it is repaired and passes a written-off vehicle inspection and your state’s safety inspection.
The PPSR certificate you receive from Check that Car! will tell you if the vehicle has been written-of. You should not purchase a vehicle that is a statutory write-off unless it is for parts. If the vehicle is a repairable write-off you should carefully consider the price you pay because when you come to sell the vehicle it will still be recorded as a repairable write-off.