Chassis Number
See VIN below
Clocked
Clocking involves reducing the mileage of a vehicle by either a digital interface or by manually adjusting the analogue clock to deceive a buyer hence increasing the value of the vehicle. Click here to find out more.
Cloned
Cloning involves taking the identity of a vehicle and copying it onto another vehicle that is the same make and model as a stolen vehicle by forging its documentation and chassis number as well as the registration. The cloned vehicle may be extremely dangerous as it could have been crashed and badly repaired.
Current
This means the vehicle is currently taxed or has provision to be taxed and is on our roads.
Cut ‘n’ Shut
A cut ‘n’ shut is usually two written off cars welded together. They are generally unsafe and are usually worthless when you go to sell them. Avoid them at all costs.
End of Life Vehicle Directive
European Parliament and Council Directive 2000/53/EC on end-of-life vehicles sets out specific measures to be put in place by Member States in relation to the collection, storage, treatment, dismantling, reuse and recycling of end-of-life vehicles. It essentially allows for the scrapping of vehicles which are no longer fit for the road or have come to the end of their usefulness.
GVW
Gross Vehicle Weight is defined as the most recent gross weight of a vehicle.
Hackney
A Hackney is usually a Private Hire Vehicle usually operating out of an office. These vehicles are expected to do high mileage.
HPI Ireland
HPI is a finance company which holds details on vehicles currently on finance. A vehicle on finance is generally owned by the lender and is not to be sold without the lender being reimbursed.
HPI UK
Vehicle importation into Ireland has been on the rise. All second hand imported vehicles are deemed a higher risk. Be sure to see the previous registration before you buy. A Cartell Car Check can disclose a previous UK registration enabling you to check the vehicle in the UK. A Cartell Three Star Car Check will supply a UK vehicles UK history through our partner HPI UK.
NCT
The National Car Test is run by Spanish company Applus following a tender process. That company is responsible for the implementation and operation of the car testing service in Ireland. The National Car Test (NCT) is being conducted at 47 purpose built NCT Centre’s nationwide.
The NCT was introduced on 4th January 2000 complying with the EU Directive, which makes car testing compulsory in EU member states. The Directive is aimed primarily at improving road safety and enhancing environmental protection. Applus is operating this service on behalf of the Government and is committed to providing the highest standards of customer service.
NVDF
NVDF is the National Vehicle and Drivers File: a database maintained by the Vehicle Registration Unit (a unit of the Department of Transport) listing vehicle and registered owner information. A subset of this data, excluding driver information, is provided as part of the Cartell Car History Check. Cartell does not receive any driver information.
PSV
PSV is a Public Service Vehicle.
Ringer
A ringer often involves using the identity of a vehicle which has been written off. Another similar vehicle is robbed and the Registration Number, Chassis Number and Engine Number etc are all adjusted to make them look like the written off vehicle.
Swimmers
A cloned car (see Cloned above) which has been taken across the Irish sea from the UK.
Scrapped
This vehicle is recorded as being no longer suitable for use.
Vehicle Licensing Certificate
This is also known as the Vehicle Registration Certificate (or “logbook”) and is provided by the Vehicle Registration Unit to the owner of the vehicle. It contains a unique number in the top right hand corner. An example of a Vehicle Registration Certificate Number is C140128635. It changes each time there is a change of ownership. If trying to verify this number in the Cartell system type, for example, C140128635.
VIN
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a synonym of Chassis Number. This is 17 characters long and conforms to an internationally agreed standard (ISO 3779:1983). Not all manufacturers use VIN and some only partially support it (e.g., some European manufacturers use VIN but don’t compute the Checksum (9th Digit) of the VIN).
VRT
Vehicle Registration Tax is a tax applied by the Irish Government on registration of a vehicle in Ireland.
VRU
Vehicle Registration Unit: A division of the Department of Transport that manages the database known as the National Vehicle and Drivers File (NVDF).
Write Off
A Write-off is a vehicle that has been recorded as written-off by an insurance company due to a damage or theft-related insurance claim.
WMI
World Manufacturer Index: This is represented by the first three characters in a VIN number. The WMI identifies the manufacturer of a vehicle. This is also an internationally agreed standard (ISO 3780:1983). A database of WMI values is available from Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), for further information please refer to SAE International (please note this is a purchasable product only).