Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common questions about First Check reports, values, and vehicle information.
1. What is a Full Vehicle History Report?
A Full Vehicle History Report uses the car’s VIN number to confirm its details. It gives you peace of mind when buying, selling, or trading in a car.
2. What is the Trade-in Target Value?
This is the price a dealer might pay when you trade in your car.
3. What is the Retail Estimated Value?
This is the price you could expect when the car is sold to a customer.
4. What is Stolen Police Interest?
This check shows if the car has been flagged as stolen or has any alerts on the South African Police database.
5. What does “Last 5 Retail Sales” mean?
It shows the prices of the last five similar cars sold (same type and year), so you can see what the market is paying.
6. What is the Auction Estimate Value?
It’s the likely price of the car if sold at auction or in a quick-sale.
7. What is Vehicle Finance History?
This shows if there’s still money owed on the car. Finance would need to be settled before you can own it.
8. What is Microdot Verification?
Microdot Verification confirms whether the vehicle has been marked with microdots — tiny ID markings that help trace and protect against theft.
9. What does Repair/Claim History show?
Repair History/claim history provides information from a trusted third-party source about any claims/repairs the vehicle has undergone from an approved repairer and is linked to the vehicle’s VIN number. The report includes details such as the repair date, mileage at the time and the areas of damage (body and/or glass).
10. What are Vehicle Specifications?
These are the car’s details, like whether it’s a hatchback or sedan, and if it’s manual or automatic.
11. What is Service and Maintenance Information?
It shows if the car has a service or maintenance plan, and what’s covered. This helps you understand future running costs.