How to get a free car history check in NSW?

If you are thinking about buying a used vehicle in NSW, you need to protect yourself from a bad purchase. A comprehensive car history report makes it easier for you to get detailed access to a vehicle’s previous information. In many cases, a car dealer will allow you to access these car history reports free. These reports are created by independent companies so the information is unbiased.

What does a car history report cover?

A car history report contains plenty of information about a vehicle and is much more comprehensive than a PPSR report. Some of the details it contains includes:

• Odometer checks
• If the vehicle was written off
• If the vehicle has money owing on it
• If the vehicle is stolen
• Recorded history of the vehicle
• Previous sale records
• Vehicle valuation and registration
• VIN validation
• ANCAP safety and emissions ratings
• Previous repair log if recorded

This valuable information makes it easier to decide whether to buy a vehicle or not. It is important to remember that each report is different, and some reports may contain more information than others based on how the history of the vehicle was recorded.

How to access a car history report?

There are essentially two ways to access this car history report.

You can either choose to buy the report on your own at a cost of $37 per report or you can connect with a car dealer who will provide this report to you at no cost. Not all car dealers provide this feature, but some are happy to present this to you at no charge.

All these car history report checks are performed by CarHistory from Equifax, an independent data research company and Australia’s first online automotive bureau with extensive information on millions of vehicles in the country.

How long does it take to get a car history report?

When you order a report, the system uses technology to access multiple national databases and will put together the entire report for you. This takes between 30 seconds to two minutes. If the report takes longer, it is usually emailed to you once ready.

If you go the dealer route and ask for a car history report, you should get it in your email within the day allowing you to do a free car history report check in NSW or any other Australian state. The benefit of a free car history report from a dealer is you can get multiple without being out of pocket every time, and you’re still in a good position to make an informed choice.

One of the biggest benefits of buying a vehicle from a buying a vehicle from a car dealer vs a private seller is the state-enforced protections you get like guaranteed titles, statutory warranties , roadworthy checks and cooling-off periods. Dealers are also legally obligated to tell you when an odometer has been tampered with or if it has gone through hail damage. It could be an additional way to protect yourself.

What red flags should you watch out for?

A car history report can throw up some interesting facts about the vehicle that would not have come up otherwise. Here are some important red flags to watch out for:

Is there finance still owing on the vehicle?

If the vehicle still has finance owing on it and you purchase the car, you become liable for any balance owed. You can easily be on top of this by checking the finance status through a vehicle history report in NSW or any state for that matter.

Is there a different odometer reading?

Rolling back the odometer to reduce the km on the car is illegal, but it happens. A car history report provides information about the odometer reading, so you can inspect for inaccuracies before making the purchase.

Has the car been stolen?

Not only is it illegal to buy a stolen vehicle, but you could end up losing it to the original owner. Worse still, you could be liable to pay for any damage caused to the vehicle while it was stolen. Having this knowledge before you buy the car is so important.

Has the car been written off?

If a car has been written off, it basically means the cost of repair was more than the worth of the vehicle. A car that has been written off may be hiding major issues that have not been dealt with, which could be extremely dangerous for you to drive.

Has the car been regularly serviced and maintained?

If the car service history shows that the car has not gone through proper servicing and maintenance, you could end up with a lemon. Data shows that car owners end up spending at least spending at least $2,000 in out-of-pocket expenses for lemons.

Get your free car history report from a dealer on Shop for Cars

With so many checks and balances, it’s pretty clear how valuable car history reports are for your used car purchase. Shop for Cars has vehicle listings from hundreds of dealers online, many of who will provide you with a car history check for free in Australia. Alternatively, you can purchase your Car history report here for a specific vehicle you are interested in.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. To read more articles like this, please visit the Shop for Cars latest news page here.

About Shop for Cars,

Shop for Cars is Australia’s first car dealership-only online classified. Shop for Cars brings you the best quality new and used vehicles from trusted motor dealers Australia wide. Shop for Cars currently has over 12,500 cars listed for sale all from licensed Motor Vehicle Dealers ONLY.

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DISCLAIMER: This is all based on opinion please research and consult with all relevant parties to make the best buying decision.