Importing a car is always cheaper than buying one from a showroom, particularly used cars. As the demand for secondhand cars increases, some car importers look elsewhere to satisfy the demand while they gain a bigger profit margin. “Stolen BMWs, Range Rovers and bicycles found in containers bound for Kenya and Cyprus” screams a Daily Mail article. While this is last year’s (February 2015) news, the deed is ongoing and has been for a long time.

Now, anyone can fall prey to these unscrupulous deals if you are not careful. So how can you avoid importing a stolen car from the UK?

HPI Check: How to Avoid importing a stolen car from the UK - QISJ inspector
Preshipment Inspection – QISJ inspector
Pre-shipment Inspections

There are several inspections a car is supposed to undergo before it is shipped to its new owner’s destination. We listed the standard inspections a car destined for Kenya from the UK undergoes, in this article about the CIF cost of a vehicle. All these inspections should be verifiable; otherwise, the Kenya Revenue Authority will not clear your car.

The scenario is very different when you buy the same car in a showroom. If it looks and drives well, it is a done deal. You could literary drive off in that car. The problem is that you can only scrutinise the physical condition of the car.

HPI check: What is it?

Enter the HPI check. According to hpicheck.com, “An (sic) HPI Check is a vehicle check provided by HPI Ltd that scrutinises the history of any motorised vehicle registered in the UK including cars, vans and motorbikes. The HPI Check Report will alert you to any worrying information held against the vehicle by finance and insurance companies, the DVLA, the Police and other industry bodies. The HPI Check is probably the most important check you will do before buying a used car and should be your first line of defence against vehicle fraud.”

HPI Check: How to Avoid importing a stolen car from the UK- Police seize stolen vehicles at the port
Police seize stolen vehicles at the port. Image courtesy of Daily Mail.
What does a HPI check cover?

Generally, the HPI check tracks the footprints of the car since it was first registered. The major checks include:

  • If the vehicle is recorded as stolen.
  • If the vehicle is an insurance write-off – If a car is involved in an accident and is irreparable either safely or economically, an insurance company declares it a total loss. It is deemed unroadworthy.
  • If the vehicle was used as collateral security for a loan or any other financial agreement, the debt is transferred to the new owner. If you (as the new owner) fail to clear this, it may lead to repossession of the car.
  • The number of previous owners the car has gone through. This is useful if you want to determine how clean the vehicle is.
  • If the vehicle is recorded as scrapped by the DVLA. This is another quintessential case of an unroadworthy vehicle.
  • When the logbook was issued, and if it belongs to the car you are buying.
  • If the displayed mileage is correct.
  • If the vehicle has had any number plate changes – Sometimes car exporters change number plates to wipe out the previous history of a vehicle.
  • If the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)/Chassis numbers are correctly entered in the logbook, and that there are no recorded issues against the vehicle’s VIN. HPI Check explains why this is vital, “A mismatch could indicate a significant issue such as: cut and shut, stolen or cloned.”
  • If a manufacturer has recalled a vehicle due to a critical safety defect.

 

HPI Check: How to Avoid Importing a Stolen Car from the UK - Insurance write off vehicle
An insurance write-off vehicle. Image courtesy of Motorcheck
Why should you care about a HPI check?

As a car buyer, you are heavily invested in the vehicle you are about to buy – both financially and emotionally. Therefore, you should not leave anything to chance….anything at all that could jeopardise ownership of that car!

You need (and have a right) to know the correct history of the car, if it has been stolen, clocked (misrepresentation of mileage), has outstanding debt, or if it is damaged goods.

A majority of car buyers prefer pre-owned vehicles for obvious reasons: price. However, due to the heightened crime rate all over the world, you can never be too careful. Always ask your car exporter for a HPI check report. If not for anything, for your peace of mind – knowing you are not involved in a car fraud. Safety is equally important, after all, the price is not right if the car is not safe. Worse, you could lose your money and the car, as was the case in Uganda.