best car history check australia Page 5

The gold-standard check in Australia is the PPSR search using the VIN—it’s the official national register for finance owing, write-off, and stolen status, so start there. Commercial reports like CarHistory (by Equifax) and similar services build on that with odometer trends, prior sale listings, valuation guides and recall flags, which is handy if you want more than the government basics. Always run the check by VIN (not just the plate), and match the VIN on the car, the rego papers and the compliance plate like a hawk with a magnifying glass.

Then cross-check the service book, look for consistent kilometres, and scan for flood or hail clues that sellers swear are “just character”. Shopping on Tradingpost? Do the PPSR before you even start haggling—it’s the cheapest peace of mind you’ll buy all week.