What is the VIR™?

The Vehicle Information Report™ is the most comprehensive vehicle history check in New Zealand. Available on-line, the VIR provides you with a clear picture of the vehicle's legal status and history.

• A Sample VIR, highlighting some of the key points
• Is your report the same as all the other vehicle history reports?

What information is provided?

All vehicle information is thoroughly analysed and will automatically highlight an alert for any one of the 42 checks performed. From money owing to odometer fraud, a VIR gives you a clear picture of what you are buying, including:

• Any money owing on the vehicle - Will you be inheriting someone else's debt? Is the vehicle about to be repossessed?
• Whether the vehicle has been reported stolen - Is the vehicle stolen?
• Any possibilities of odometer fraud - Have there been inconsistent readings or ever flagged by NZ customs as unreliable?
• Whether the vehicle has ever been deregistered - Is the vehicle an insurance write-off?
• Ownership history - Buying from the current owner? How many other owners? Is it an ex-rental?
• Whether it is legally roadworthy - Has the WOF, registration/license, or diesel tax expired or is it due to expire?
• Any history of water/fire damage - Has NZ customs deemed the vehicle to be water or fire damaged?
• Fuel economy, safety and emissions ratings - How does the vehicle compare on these points? (for most late model light vehicles)

• Is your report the same as all the other vehicle history reports?

Does the VIR™ show all the problems that may exist with a vehicle?

No, there may be information that is not publicly or electronically available. As such all vehicle checking services (including the VIR) are unlikely to be able to provide:

• any history of the vehicle while it was outside of New Zealand
• any history of the vehicle prior to 1994/95 if the vehicle was not registered during the 1994/95 year
• details of import damage if the vehicle has not been previously registered in NZ
• accident, damage and repair history of the vehicle
• all past odometer readings
• a worker's lien on the vehicle that has not been registered with the Government
• the actual LEGAL owner of the vehicle (only the registered owner is provided)
• if the vehicle is stolen if it has not been reported stolen

Will the VIR always show if the odometer has been wound?

No, the VIR contains all odometer readings currently available from the NZTA, and analyses these for any inconsistent readings. However, some older vehicles have not had all their odometer readings recorded by the NZTA. And even though the VIR will identify if MAF deemed the odometer to have been tampered with, the VIR cannot directly determine if a vehicle's odometer was wound back prior to arriving in New Zealand. The VIR does everything it can to identify problems - but it cannot guarantee that the vehicle's odometer has not been wound.

Where does the information come from?

The information is sourced from several Government and private sector organisations, collated and analysed.

• PPSR Personal Property Securities Register
• NZTA New Zealand Transport Agency
• NZ Police
• MAF
• VIR's own private database

How accurate is the information?

The information is sourced from several third party organisations in real time when you purchase a VIR. To the best of our knowledge, the information is correct at the time the VIR is generated.

Please note:

• The information is only as accurate and up-to-date as what is held in the government databases.
• The information should only be considered valid at the time the VIR was generated. Anything can happen after that.

Is this the same as all the other vehicle history reports?

NO, it's better. The VIR provides the most comprehensive report with 58 checks.

Past Plate Check™

A key point of difference is our 'Past Plate Check™'. Money owing on a vehicle is one of the most important checks when buying a used car. Finance companies will usually register their interest against the vehicle's registration plate, however the registration plates can be changed making the vehicle appear debt free when it is not. It is very important to check all past plates for hidden debts.

Past Plate Check™' checks for money owing on all previous registration plates, not just the current plate.

Clear Reporting

Explanations for each highlighted issue are also available and will advise the likely cause of the problem and actions you can take to fix it.

The Leading Report for the Trade

The VIR is the leading report in the trade. Our business partners include GE, AA, MTA, VTNZ, Trade Me, Auto Trader as well as over 700 Registered Motor Vehicle Traders.

Does my VIR™ update over time?

No, VIR's are only valid at the time of issue.

Reports accessed through a reference number may be out of date due to subsequent changes made in the government databases. Think of it as a snapshot of the vehicle at the time of issue.

Is there a free number I can call to check for money owing on a vehicle?

No, the Government's AutoCheck Service ceased operations in 1999.

What if something goes wrong?

We don't generally give refunds for our products and services (for example, for a change of mind), however there may be exceptions so if you experience any issues, please contact our customer support at support@motorweb.co.nz

Is this a secure site?

To prevent unauthorised access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the privacy of your information, we've put in place systems to help safeguard and secure the information we collect on-line.

Since your credit card information is especially sensitive, we take special care to keep it secure. We only communicate this information over secure Internet connections, using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption and security keys. This is the currently accepted standard for on-line security, and is used by the likes of banks, government agencies, etc.

Our privacy policy

MotorWeb (including VIR) is a service provided by Trade Me Limited. This means Trade Me's privacy policy applies to our use, collection, storage and disclosure of your information when you use MotorWeb or purchase a VIR.

MotorWeb removes all Personal Identifiable Information 30 days after a report has been generated.