The £4.99 history check covers stolen (Police National Computer), outstanding finance with the lender, agreement type, start date and term, insurance write-offs with the category, date, insurer and damage, the number of keepers with the date of each recorded keeper change, VIN, colour changes, plate transfers, import and export markers, scrapped status and a high-risk marker. Before you pay anything, the free report gives you:
- Full MOT history with every test since 2005 (free)
- MOT advisories explained, with estimated repair costs (free)
- Mileage timeline with automatic clocking detection (free)
- Reliability score (0-100) with an A-F grade (free)
- Annual running cost estimate: fuel, road tax, MOT and predicted repairs (free)
- Common faults flagged in the MOT history (free)
- DVSA recall check for outstanding safety recalls (free)
- ULEZ and clean air zone check (free)
- Road tax and MOT status (free)
- Fuel cost calculator (free)
- Red flag alerts (free)
- Vehicle specification (free)
You pay a third of the price, and because the free report comes first, you can screen several cars at no cost and only pay £4.99 for the one you are serious about.
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One thing the AA offers that CarCostCheck does not is an in-person vehicle inspection. An AA engineer, or an engineer working on the AA's behalf, inspects the car and gives you a report on its condition.
This is a genuinely useful service for high-value purchases or cars with a questionable history. It is a separate product from the online history check, with its own prices. A sensible approach is to use CarCostCheck for the online checks (£4.99) and book an inspection if you need one, which saves £10 on the history check compared with the AA's £14.99.
| Scenario | CarCostCheck | AA | Saving |
|---|
| History check, one car | £4.99 | £14.99 | £10.00 (67%) |
| History checks, three cars | £13.48 (one order) | £30.00 (5-check pack) or £44.97 (3 single checks) | £16.52 (55%) against the pack |
| History checks, five cars | £21.48 (one order) | £30.00 (5 at £6 each) | £8.52 (28%) |
If you are viewing several cars, the free report lets you screen them all before paying anything, then run the £4.99 history check on the one you are serious about. If you want full history checks on several cars, a CarCostCheck multi-car order is still cheaper than the AA's five-check pack.
CarCostCheck is not just a cheaper version of HPI. As well as the history check, it helps you judge whether a car will be a good one to own. Here is what you get that HPI does not offer at any price:
- Market valuation from £2.99, based on live UK dealer listings. See the local dealer value for your car and how quickly similar cars sell near you.
- Estimated vehicle lifespan: An estimate of how many years the car has left on UK roads and the probability of it still being on the road in 12 months.
- Insurance costs by age: See estimated annual premiums for drivers aged 20, 30, 40, and 50. Budget before you buy.
- Running cost breakdown: Annual fuel, road tax, MOT, predicted repairs, and total cost per month. All calculated for this specific car.
- Reliability score (0-100): one number based on the car's MOT record, including its pass rate, recent failures, advisory trend and mileage. Free.
- Common faults: the problems that keep coming up in the car's own MOT history. Free.
- 12 free checks: Full MOT history, mileage verification, reliability score, running costs, fuel costs, red flag alerts, common faults, recall check, ULEZ compliance, tax and MOT status, and more. All before you pay a penny.
The premium history check (£4.99) uses the same Experian database as HPI, AA, and RAC. You get the same core checks: stolen, outstanding finance and write-off. The complete bundle (history + valuation) is £6.99, still 65% cheaper than HPI's basic check.
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12 checks included free. Premium stolen, finance, and write-off checks for just £4.99. Market valuation from £2.99.
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