Car Buyers beware-flaw in HPI mileage checks

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Yesterday I returned home from doing a deal on an S3 at an Audi main dealer. Did a quick MOT check using VOSA and it transpires the previous owner has done a Marty McFly and gone back in time with my S3.
I would have thought an HPI check would have picked this up but it did not.

Dealer refunded my deposit and is as shocked/gutted as I am, although they are in utter shock this hasn't been unearthed during their HPI check
This got me thinking and after a lot of research I've discovered ANY HPI mileage checks are NOT linked to the VOSA MOT database!!:keule: Talk about a major flaw in the system!! I still can't believe this hasn't been unearthed by anyone before!!

Be careful out there guys when buying, make sure you do a VOSA MOT check for the mileage as well as full HPI for any outstanding finance/insurance write off etc.


http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/internet/jsp/ECSID-Internet-Status-Request.jsp
 
glad you got your money back mate, don't think it was ever in doubt, Audi would be as ****** off as you were I'd imagine...it pays to do your own homework now a days...
 
Yea lol, O well at least it was that simple and they wasnt pushing you to buy it still.
Good luck on the hunt still!
 
glad you sorted it and got your money back.didnt think you would have much of a problem to be honest

my friend is looking at a S3 today,showing around 50k told him to do a vosa check as well as a HPI check.better to be safe than sorry

how much is a vosa check by the way?
 
afcjay said:
glad you sorted it and got your money back.didnt think you would have much of a problem to be honest

my friend is looking at a S3 today,showing around 50k told him to do a vosa check as well as a HPI check.better to be safe than sorry

how much is a vosa check by the way?
Click to expand...

It's Free!:busted_cop:
 
Google VOSA MOT CHECK - I have a bad feeling I might end up ruining a few peoples days as clocking is more rife than you would imagine...:angrymod:
 
audi upgrades
Guys how would you check a car that you have just seen on sale, because on the vosa site it asks for the regestration and MOT test number from VT20 MOT Test Certificate or VT30 Refusal of an MOT Test Certificate (failure notice) or Document Reference Number from the V5C Registration Certificate issued by the DVLA??

Im just asking because my mums seen a audi a3 8p 2.0 tdi going pretty good price, done a hpi but after eading this thread yesterday its got me thinking as the car shows 36,000 on the clock which for a 2004 is pretty low.
 
S3 AJ.X said:
Guys how would you check a car that you have just seen on sale, because on the vosa site it asks for the regestration and MOT test number from VT20 MOT Test Certificate or VT30 Refusal of an MOT Test Certificate (failure notice) or Document Reference Number from the V5C Registration Certificate issued by the DVLA??

Im just asking because my mums seen a audi a3 8p 2.0 tdi going pretty good price, done a hpi but after eading this thread yesterday its got me thinking as the car shows 36,000 on the clock which for a 2004 is pretty low.
Click to expand...

call the seller and ask for the imfo you require.if they have anything to hide they will refuse
 
Just checked mine, all ok thankfully. However I checked my 1998 Pug 106 on the database and it shows the first MOT being done in Jan 2006! Im hoping this database has only been around for a few years and thats the reason why. However I did buy the car last year with rediculously low mileage (46k for a 10 year old car) so im starting to worry a little!
 
It does state on the site that records only go back to the start of the computerised MOT's i have a couple of the old style MOT certificates in my history folder that didn't show up on the VOSA site..... i think it goes back to around 2005/2006 something like that
 
666markyboy said:
It does state on the site that records only go back to the start of the computerised MOT's i have a couple of the old style MOT certificates in my history folder that didn't show up on the VOSA site..... i think it goes back to around 2005/2006 something like that
Click to expand...

Thats put my mind at ease then!
 
That's a really useful website to know. I sometimes use the DVLA's tax disc check, because it's a simple way of tying up a registration with a particular car:

http://www.taxdisc.direct.gov.uk/EvlPortalApp/

Also look at the online insurance database - this tells you if a car is insured or not (not sure if it's useful when buying a car, but it would tell you if it was still being used on the public roads):

http://www.askmid.com/ownvehicle/
 
It looks like buying a car has just got even harder, even though they pass all conventional checks. We have to be on the look out for scams involving the lost of thousands of DVLA log books:

Theft of DVLA log books fuels cars scam
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8487381.stm

Car cloning isn't new but this is just one of the type of scams we need to look out for.
 
Last edited:
Yes this is true, it is massively flawed. Mileage correction is rife as its ever been, just google it and thiers loads of companies that come up. The goverment need to do something about it as if you are buying second hand cars its really hard to tell. Whn buying, check th wear on the leather (my field), bolsters cloth or leather. The bottom of the steering wheel is a good one, pedals etc. I known people who have bought cars from the auction and the mileage is way off.
 
I did a free VOSA check when i bought my A3 as well as the HPI, everything tied up as it should do.

There is nothing to stop anyone from clocking the car back just before MOT time, this would not show up on a VOSA check or on the HPI because the mileage has been altered before the MOT and not after, the new mileage would be recorded at VOSA not the old mileage.

Oh and before someone says you will balls your service history up, wrong.. You can get a new service book very easily, order a dealer stamp off ebay and off you go.

Clocking is rife you are right.

:icon_thumright:
 
HPI doesn't check mileage.... doesn't even say it will! It only checks to see whether there has been an insurance write off (not claim) on the car, plate change details, stolen, import status and whether there's any finance. Most dealers will use the VMC or similar, who check back through mot mileages, though that relies on the tester inputting the right data!

checking service history and mot's is the only way unfortunately.....
 
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