There are legitimate free checks available in Australia — but they only cover part of the picture. Here's exactly what's free, what it tells you, and the gaps that can cost you thousands.
Get a Full Report for $34Australia has several legitimate free resources you can use before buying a used car:
There's a small government fee (~$28-30), which is technically not free. It covers finance owing, written-off status, and stolen flags.
Completely free database of product safety recalls. Search for your vehicle's make, model and year to find active safety issues.
Various online tools decode your VIN for free, showing manufacturer, country of origin, model year and build specs — but not financial or safety history.
Free checks leave five critical questions unanswered:
These are the gaps that cost buyers thousands. You can pass all free checks and still overpay significantly.
You find a 2020 Mazda CX-5 listed for $32,000. All free checks come back clean: PPSR shows no finance owing, it's not written off, not stolen, no safety recalls. You're confident it's a good buy.
You buy it for $32,000. Three weeks later, you discover identical 2020 Mazda CX-5s with similar mileage sold for $27,500 on average. You overpaid by $4,500 and had no way to know.
A $34 paid report would have shown comparable sales and market value, allowing you to negotiate down or walk away.
Beyond the free basics, a $34 paid car history report includes:
Estimated fair market value for this exact make, model, year and condition
What identical cars actually sold for in Australia in the last 90 days
How this car's mileage compares to others of the same age and model
How many days similar cars typically sit on the market (negotiating power)
Common mechanical or safety problems specific to this make/model/year
Finance, written-off status, stolen flags, and safety recalls all included
Bottom line: For any private sale over $8,000, spending $34 on a full report is smart. It takes seconds and could save you thousands by revealing fair market value and comparable sales data.
There is no completely free comprehensive car history check. PPSR has a small fee, free VIN decode tools only show specs, and free recall checks don't include market data. A full report costs $34 and covers all these plus market value and comparable sales.
For a small government fee, the PPSR covers: finance owing, written-off status, stolen flags, and registration. It doesn't cover market value, sold prices, odometer benchmarking, recalls, or model-specific faults.
You can check through PPSR (small fee) or ask police non-emergency line. No completely free source gives definitive stolen vehicle status. Free VIN decoders won't show this information.
For private sales over $8,000, yes. A $34 report adds market value, comparable sales, odometer benchmarking, and known issues — information that helps you negotiate fairly and avoid overpaying.
Market value, comparable sales, odometer benchmarking, recalls and more — in one instant report.
$34