REVs Check, Simplified

Buying a used car is a significant investment. A REVS Check gives you an opportunity to protect yourself and your money so that you don’t make a costly mistake. Here's how.

What is Revs Check?

Revs Check is an online search of a government registry containing details on motor vehicles across Australia. These details are captured in the government’s Personal Properties Securities Register (PPSR). The PPSR also collects some of its data from the National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information System (NEVDIS). Together, the data offers you insight into the current state and past history of a used car.

The details of a REVS Check allows potential buyers to see information on:

• whether the vehicle was reported as stolen
• if there has been damages to or write-off issues with the vehicle
• the registration details so that you can confirm that the car you’re looking at is the same as what is officially registered online
• whether there is any loan outstanding on the vehicle

Why Every Australian Needs to do a Revs Check

As an Australian, you need to protect yourself and your investment. That is the main reason we all need to do a REVS Check before buying a used car.

First of all, car theft is pretty high in almost all states across Australia. This is especially the case for Western Australia, New South Wales, and Queensland. That is why Revs check WA, Revs check NSW, and Revs check QLD are so popular. But, just because you don't live in these states doesn’t mean that you shouldn't be worried as well.

Australians like yourself can buy or sell a car in another state. So, your state having a lower than average vehicle theft does not protect you from accidentally buying a stolen car.

Secondly, buying a used car with finance owing can lead to you losing your newly bought vehicle to settle the previous owner's outstanding debts.

And thirdly, knowing what damages the car has gone through can prevent you buying a lemon with costly repair issues.

A Revs Check is an inexpensive protective measure that is easy and simple to do. It just makes sense given all the negative issues it can keep you from. So, before you or anyone you know buys a used car in Australia, ensure that a Revs Check is done. You’ll be glad you did.

The national average for stolen vehicles is one every 10 minutes, and 1 in 5 cars are never recovered. There are quite a few ways in which your car can be stolen and how to prevent it in this article. But, no matter which state you are in, there is a possibility that you could lose your vehicle to a car thief.

NSW is one of the Highest Car Theft States in Australia

New South Wales has an unenviable average of 1 car stolen every 52 minutes. In some areas such as Blacktown, the rate is even higher leading to some news outlets labelling the area as the car theft capital of NSW. Car theft rates in NSW are only beat by its neighbouring state Victoria which has the worst car theft rate in the country.

If you live in NSW and your car has been stolen, make sure to report theft to the NSW Police as soon as possible. You can call them to report the incident or visit the nearest NSW police station to you.

Car Theft in WA

In Western Australia, the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council statistics show that a car is stolen almost every hour. WA is also one of the highest ranked states for car theft coming in the top 5 states. The Western Australian Police have laid out steps to take when buying a used car. They have also specifically stated that used car buyers should "Conduct a Register of Encumbered Vehicles (REVS) check".

Reporting Stolen Vehicles in QLD

In 2017/18, carsafe.com reported that Queensland had the third highest rate of car thefts in Australia. The state has a few hotspots for car theft including the suburb of Southport. Similar to other states, the Queensland Police provides steps on how to report your vehicle if unfortunately it is stolen.

Reporting a Stolen Vehicle is Important

We've mentioned that Revs Check WA, Revs Check QLD, and Revs Check NSW are popular. As you can see, car theft is one of the reasons why. Because a report can tell you if a car is stolen, you need to ensure that you run a check before you buy a used vehicle.

No matter where you live or whichever state your car is stolen, it is important that you make an official report as soon as possible. This information is added to the NEVDIS database. Once done, unsuspecting used car buyers who order a REVS Check report will know if someone tries to sell them your stolen car and can report it to the authorities. As a buyer who uses Revs Check, you will also be protecting yourself from receiving stolen property.

When comparing Revs Check report sites online, you will come across some that offer to provide additional details in their reports. To the unsuspecting buyer, this may seem to be better because they want as many details about the proposed used car as possible.

But, did you know that an odometer reading presented by most sites are at best an estimate? Or that a car valuation data is accessible separately online?

How Accurate are Odometer Reports?

Revs Check Reports with odometer readings will often carry a disclaimer. This disclaimer will outline that the odometer reading presented is an estimate. They do not represent an actual odometer reading, and the only way to determine if there has been any odometer tampering is through a mechanic. They are using industry data and market averages to put an estimate on where the odometer should be based on the type of vehicle. This does not account for how a specific individual may use his or her vehicle outside of what is expected.

So, in addition to your Revs Check Report, you can ask the seller for their official service book. This can give you details on the odometer and mileage readings as recorded at intervals and reported servicing under managed circumstances. If the seller doesn’t have these details, then it’s even more important for the Revs Check report to be paired with a mechanic inspection.

Finding Car Valuations Online

Yes, it is important to know what the average selling rate for a vehicle is. But the ones presented in most Car History Reports aren’t based on the actual vehicle that you are looking to purchase. Vehicle Valuation data is an approximate data that is compiled from general sales information and current market trends. An accurate car valuation will take into account the condition, age and other components of the car before providing an estimate.

If you want a better estimate of the value of the vehicle, then you can easily check RedBook. They take into account the condition of the vehicle and even aftermarket additions to the vehicle when presenting a valuation.

So, what does this all mean for you?

It means that you don’t need to pay for an expensive Revs Check just to get additional information on estimated odometer readings and vehicle valuations. Instead, you can save money by getting an affordable Revs Check with all the official data that you need and find the “estimates” online yourself.

You may be thinking – I only want a revs check report. Why am I being given a PPSR certificate, and what is it? The fact is, if you are about to purchase a car history report and a PPSR certificate does not come as part of the package, you may need to exercise caution.

Revs Check has changed somewhat in the past few years. These changes have ensured that you get an official confirmation of your search results which can be used in a defence should the need ever arise for you to justify your purchase.

The PPSR Certificate is an Official Record

The PPSR Certificate is provided by the Australian government through the Australian Financial Security Authority. It is your official record that can be used in a dispute about your car purchase. That’s also part of the reason why it is recommended that you get the PPSR report as close to the sale as possible so that you have the most up-to-date information available in the government registry at the time of the sale.

With a cost such as at revscheckreport.com.au, it’s easy for you to simply run a second check if the first was done way in advance of finalising the sale. This allows you to ensure that no detail, such as finance owning, has changed since you last checked (unless it’s for the seller settling his obligations).

What if the seller gives you a PPSR certificate and Car History Report?

This may be an indication that the seller is serious about getting their vehicle sold. But even so, you should verify the details on the report by checking using the search result number on the report.

However, if the report is old, you should run an independent check for yourself with a new car history check. This way, you can determine if there were any changes between the date the previous report was done and when you did it. As we’ve noted, the AFSA also recommends that you run the search as close as possible to the planned date for the purchase.

So, yes, a PPSR Certificate is a necessary part of your car history report. Before you run a car history check, make sure the results will include an official government PPSR certificate or move on.

At revscheckreport.com.au, all our reports come with a PPSR Certificate. Simply visit the search box, input the VIN or rego number and click on “get report”. You will have a detailed car history report and an official PPSR certificate emailed and texted to you in no time.

A key component of a Revs Check Report is the written-off status check. This data is provided through the Written-Off Vehicles Register (WOVR). A seller is legally obligated to report to a buyer if a vehicle was written-off. But, you can also verify the information they provide by keeping a record of it and comparing it to what is recorded in the database of the Personal Properties Securities Register.

When is a vehicle written-off?

A vehicle is normally written off if:

• 1. The cost to repair it exceeds the value of the vehicle
• 2. The damages sustained makes it unsafe to drive

What are the types of write-offs?

On your Revs Check Report, you may find one of three types of write-offs recorded:

• Repairable write-offs
• Inspected write-offs
• Statutory write-offs

Repairable Write-Off:

A repairable write-off means that the vehicle can be repaired, but the cost to repair the vehicle may be more than the vehicle’s value. When this type of write-off is added to the WOVR, the vehicle’s registration will be cancelled by the state. If the seller goes ahead and repairs the vehicle, he or she will need to meet strict requirements to get the vehicle back on the road. The state would have laid out the repair requirements and the seller should have a VIV certificate and a roadworthy certificate in his/her possession after completion of the repairs.

You should request to see these documents to ensure that the repairs were made in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer’s standards and that the car is, therefore, safe to drive.

Inspected Write-off

When a repairable write-off vehicle has been successfully repaired and returned to the road, it will be classified as an inspected write-off. This means that the repairs were done in accordance with the state requirements and that it was successfully re-registered for road use.

The inspected write-off designation may also be used for vehicles damaged by hail, even if the damage was not repaired.

Statutory Write-Off

A vehicle that has statutory write-off should not be repaired and cannot be re-registered anywhere in the country. This means that the car has sustained damage so severe that it is not recommended that there should be any attempts at repairs. This includes excessive structural, fire, water, and stripping damage.

However, certain parts may be reused in repairing other vehicles.

Buying a Written-Off Vehicle

If a report comes back that the car was written-off, make sure to check that it was not a statutory write-off which you cannot drive. For a repairable or inspected write-off, get the details of the repairs made if the car is not in the same condition as it was when written-off.

If all the details aren’t in place, including acceptable records and receipts for parts, you may have to repair the vehicle with other parts before it can be deemed fit for the road. So, make sure you pay attention to the written-off status section of your Revs Check report when buying a used car. Plus, a good report will outline what the written-off codes mean.