Are all HPI checks the same?

[evilsatan]

A member from here kindly ran some HPI checks for me on my car a month or so ago and they all came up as clear. Today I had someone take a look at my old car with the view to buy and they asked about the HPI, I said it was clear and later that day they called me to say it was a Cat C back in 2007 and that I should be careful what I say when selling it.

There is quite a high chance he is just trying it on as he was a right tosser but I wanted to check before I accidentally misled someone. Does HPI clear mean there is no finance or does it mean that there is no history? Would a Cat C write off show up in a HPI check?

Perhaps the member who ran the check for me was just looking for outstanding finance.

Cheers

[tips]

Hi,

The checks aren't quite all the same (some of the budget ones don't properly check for finance. They rather offer an indemnity policy against it). Also, as well as HPI you have Equifax but at the top level they should both check the same things.

When I say they aren't all the same, they are more or less, and they should ALL check for Insurance Write Off / Damage Repaired status. I would be very surprised if it is a Cat C and it didn't show up a month ago but it does now, and if it is, then you should have some recompense through the original report.

An eBay Status report is a cheap alternative to using HPI / RAC / AA etc, and they should do ALL the necessary checks.

[evilsatan]

Thanks mate, guess I will have to run another HPI check just to be sure, sounds like the bloke earlier was having me on though.

[cosmicma]

doesn't cat C show up on the log book ?

from what i can gather cat D doesn't but cat C does maybe somebody who knows for sure can clarify

[evilsatan]

No mention on the log book so looks like he was being an extra special kind of wanker then. Cheers lads.