
How To Find Out A Car’s History
[ad_1]
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors’ opinions or evaluations.
Are you skeptical when you visit a used car lot? It’s easy to feel like a used car salesperson might be trying to take advantage of you, especially if this is your first time buying a vehicle. But with a bit of research into the car’s history, you can spot red flags and avoid buying an uninsurable jalopy.
How to Find Out a Car’s History
Since 1954, U.S. car manufacturers have applied a vehicle identification number (VIN) to each vehicle made. At the time, there was no industry standard and the VINs varied by manufacturer. In 1981, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stepped in to create a standardized VIN system, requiring all car companies to use a 17-digit VIN.
Since no two VINs are alike, they are essentially a “fingerprint.” The information embedded within the VIN includes:
- The car manufacturer
- Country of origin
- Plant that assembled the vehicle
- Model, body type and engine
- Model year
Identify the VIN. You can locate the VIN on the lower left of the car’s windshield or the driver’s side door pillar. You can also find it on your car registration or insurance ID card.
Conduct thorough research. To look up some of a vehicle’s history, visit the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s free VINCheck site. This site offers valuable information about whether the car was stolen and never recovered and whether it had a salvage title. VINCheck is just a starting point since it won’t include information about previous accidents.
Other sites such as CarFax and AutoCheck charge a fee for a vehicle history report but can provide additional useful data such as:
- Accident history
- Service history such as oil changes and transmission replacement
- Type of use such as a taxi or rental car
- Ownership history
- Worrisome title brands such as fire, hail and flood
But keep in mind that not all car accidents are reported and may not show up on a report. For example, if a past owner had a fender bender and decided to pay for repairs themselves, it won’t show up on any report.
Get a mechanic’s inspection. Vehicle history reports are very useful but can be incomplete. The Federal Trade Commission recommends you supplement a vehicle history report with an independent vehicle inspection.
Why Is Car History Important?
A car’s history helps you determine if it’s worth purchasing. If you discover it has a checkered past, you may want to look elsewhere.
A car’s history plays a role not only in your purchasing decision, it’s also potentially in determining your car insurance rates. For example, insurers want to see if there are any red flags (such as a salvage title) that might make the car more risky to insure.
Auto Insurance for Cars with Bad Track Records
While previous accident repairs won’t hinder your insurance purchase, a salvage title probably will. A previous salvage title indicates that the car was deemed a total loss by an insurance company, then rebuilt and deemed roadworthy. But many insurers see vehicles with a past salvage title as too risky to insure and might decline to offer certain coverage types, or coverage altogether.
“While most insurers shy away from offering comprehensive and collision coverages for cars with salvage titles, they might be willing to offer liability coverage for these types of vehicles,” says Dan Scroggins, managing director at AAA Club Alliance.
Liability car insurance is required in most states, but it pays others, not you. You’ll want collision and comprehensive insurance:
- Collision coverage pays for car damage, such as a dent from backing into a pole or your crushed fender if you rear-end another car
- Comprehensive coverage pays for problems such as theft, vandalism, floods, fires, collisions with animals and falling objects
Legwork Pays Off
Before you plunk down thousands of dollars on a used car, a little bit of legwork can go a long way. The VIN number is a good starting point, coupled with an independent vehicle inspection by a mechanic. The last thing you want to do is find out you bought a car with hidden damage or a car that is uninsurable.
You’ll also want to know how much insurance will cost for your prospective car. Compare car insurance quotes from multiple companies before you buy the car so that the insurance bill doesn’t take you by surprise.
“Although it’s crucial to research a vehicle worth purchasing, you’ll also want to do your homework on the coverage you can get for the car. Since you need coverage when you drive off the lot, you’ll want to compare coverage options before you have the keys in hand,” says Scroggins.
33 Comments
-
-
HectorJar
Terrific facts. Appreciate it!
essay writing for hire what should i write my college essay about can someone write a research paper for me -
NathanShumb
Nicely put. Thanks!
quick essay writer write a descriptive essay for me write my essay for me in 3 hours -
HaaryMeM
Thanks a lot, A lot of knowledge!
[url=https://argumentativethesis.com/]thesis statement[/url] thesis binding [url=https://bestmasterthesiswritingservice.com/]good thesis[/url] thesis sentence -
Trackback: briansclub shop
-
-
Create Account
The point of view of your article has taught me a lot, and I already know how to improve the paper on gate.oi, thank you. https://www.gate.io/es/signup/XwNAU
-
gateio
The point of view of your article has taught me a lot, and I already know how to improve the paper on gate.oi, thank you. https://www.gate.io/vi/signup/XwNAU
-
buy instagram followers pay with credit card
Greetings! Very helpful advice in this particular article!
It’s the little changes that make the most important changes.
Thanks a lot for sharing! -
buy 2000 followers on instagram
Heya i am for the first time here. I found this board
and I find It truly useful & it helped me out much. I hope to give something
back and help others like you aided me. -
hide instagram likes
Thanks , I’ve just been looking for info about this subject for a while and yours is the greatest I have discovered till now.
But, what concerning the bottom line? Are you
certain concerning the source? -
buy tiktok followers for 1
I’m curious to find out what blog system you’re utilizing?
I’m having some small security problems with my latest site and I’d
like to find something more safeguarded. Do you have any suggestions? -
Trackback: qiuqiu99 daftar
-
Trackback: Buy pounds of weed online
-
Binance - rejestracja
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good. https://accounts.binance.com/pl/register-person?ref=V3MG69RO
-
HectorJar
Terrific facts. With thanks!
writing will service essay writing service reviews reddit entrance essay writing service -
HectorJar
You have made your point quite nicely.!
what is a good essay writing service college admission essay writing service top custom essay writing services -
HectorJar
Many thanks. I appreciate this!
are essay writing services any good essay writing service ratings expert cv writing service -
HectorJar
With thanks! Ample data!
essay writing service australia reviews writing a good college essay top essay writing -
HectorJar
Amazing facts. Thank you.
writing as a service any good essay writing services writing a narrative essay about being judged -
HectorJar
Incredible tons of excellent info.
best cv writing service reviews telemarketing script writing service essay writing services legal -
HectorJar
You revealed that fantastically!
best essay writer service best essay writing service in pakistan best mba essay writing service -
HectorJar
With thanks, Lots of facts!
personal email writing service spanish essay writing service the shocking truth about essay writing services -
HectorJar
You actually explained it wonderfully.
telemarketing script writing service which essay writing services are good writing letters to service members -
Trackback: polka dot mushroom bar review
-
HectorJar
Nicely put, Cheers.
marketing essay writing service pro essay writing service reviews student room essay writing service -
HectorJar
Awesome material. With thanks!
resume writing service new york engineering essay writing service cv writing service birmingham uk -
HectorJar
This is nicely expressed. .
monster india resume writing service online dating profile writing service essay writing service south africa -
HectorJar
Awesome material, Regards.
personal essay writing service is cheap writing service legit australian writing service -
HectorJar
Terrific stuff. Thanks!
graduate paper writing service essay writing examples pdf essay writing service ireland -
HectorJar
Regards, Helpful information!
essay writing service for nursing [url=https://argumentativethesis.com/]do you have to write a thesis for masters[/url] master thesis writing service in india [url=https://bestmasterthesiswritingservice.com/]research thesis[/url] thesis writing service in kl essay writing service london [url=https://helpwithdissertationwriting.com/]dissertation writing services[/url] dissertation service writing [url=https://dissertationwritingtops.com/]writing dissertation service[/url] dissertation services -
https://wwd.com/business-news/business-features/how-to-get-more-instagram-followers-1235787837
I’ve been browsing online more than 3 hours as of late, yet I by
no means discovered any attention-grabbing article like yours.
It is beautiful price enough for me. Personally, if all webmasters and bloggers made
good content as you did, the internet will be a lot more helpful than ever before.
ScottkaL
You reported that adequately!
online casino list real money online casino illinois winstar online casino