How To Perform a Vehicle History Check

There are some risks to buying a used vehicle from a used car dealer. You don’t know the history behind it, such as the accidents it’s gotten into and the repair jobs needed to return it to the road. Fortunately, you can get a better idea of its status by running a vehicle history check on it.

How To Check a Car’s History

There are two approaches to get a car’s vehicle service history. You can either approach the car dealer for a copy of the document or search for the car history report yourself.

Getting Free Car History Reports Online

Nowadays, many used car dealers put their whole vehicle stock on a website. Anyone can access the car history report of a specific machine in their inventory without effort. Usually, the dealerships don’t charge people for viewing the vehicle service history.

You can find used car dealers online by entering used cars in the search engine. It will bring up a list of dealerships.

When you come across a dealer that you can reach, click the link leading to the website. Otherwise, if you’ve already chosen a dealership, plug its website address into the browser.

Go through the used car listing on the dealership’s website. Look for a vehicle that catches your eye and meets your requirements, including your budget. Once you find a car to your liking, search for the link that leads to its vehicle history report.

Bring up the vehicle service history report. It contains important information about the car’s history. You can find out how many people previously owned the vehicle, which can give you hints about its state and how it was treated.

The report also contains the odometer reading, which can indicate how long and hard the vehicle was driven. Record this so that you can compare it with the value shown on the odometer when you inspect the used car’s instrument gauge.

Furthermore, the car history report also contains the vehicle and title history. It lists all the accidents that the vehicle got into in the past.

The title history will also tell you if the vehicle has a salvage title attached to it. A salvage title indicates that the car was damaged to the point that the insurance company declared it a total loss that would cost far more to repair than it was worth.

If you like the car, print its vehicle history report for later use as a reference. Otherwise, continue browsing the used car listing for other promising bargains. Repeat the process and check the car service history.

Aside from used car dealers, you might also get free vehicle history reports from some sellers who operate on eBay and other online auction sites. Other sellers might offer the option of providing the car history report for a fee.

Getting the Vehicle Service History Yourself

You might come across a used car that checks all your boxes. However, it happens to lack a vehicle service history. Perhaps the used car dealer doesn’t have the records for that vehicle. Or maybe the seller is a private individual, not a dealership.

If you want that car but also need its vehicle service history, you can personally search for the documentation. You will have to pay for the documentation, which can set you back by a considerable sum if you get multiple vehicle service history reports.

To begin your search for a car’s vehicle service history, you must have its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Barring that, you can use the license plate number as an alternative.

When you have the VIN or license plate number, look for a trusted vehicle history provider. One reliable example is the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS). It can provide a comprehensive report that includes the title, insurance loss, and salvage information.

However, the most popular option is CarFax. Many people even refer to vehicle history reports as CarFax reports. You can also try AutoCheck, a division of Experian. AutoCheck and CarFax might provide additional information that the NMVTIS doesn’t include in its documents.

No matter what vehicle history report provider you choose to leverage, you must enter the vehicle’s VIN or license plate number and state in the appropriate fields. Make sure you type the correct information before pressing the enter key.

The website will bring you to the payment screen. Enter your payment information in the appropriate fields. You can usually pick between getting a single vehicle history report, a multi-report package, and getting unlimited documents for a specific time period. While getting a big batch of documents costs more in the short term, you might save more in the long run by grabbing everything you need.

Once you complete the payment process, you’ll receive the vehicle history report for the VIN or license plate number. Print the document if you expect to purchase the car soon.

What Is a Vehicle History Report?

Also called a car history report, the vehicle history report is a treasure trove of information about the used car. It shows the accident record and any damage incurred from collisions, fire, flood, hail, and other causes.

The vehicle history report also lists the vehicle’s registration and ownership history. Finally, it shows the car’s mileage and maintenance history.

Why Is a Vehicle History Check Important?

A vehicle history check protects your interests as a consumer. If you know about a used car’s past, you can make an informed decision on whether or not the vehicle’s worth buying. You can avoid purchasing a lemon that will perform poorly or suffer many mechanical problems.

The vehicle history report also contains the list of previous owners and the time they possessed the car. You can see if the machine went through multiple owners in quick succession, which might indicate something illegal or a recurring mechanical issue that forced people to drop the vehicle.

Furthermore, the contents of the vehicle history report can help you keep your vehicle running smoothly. The report covers the car’s maintenance history, including every instance it has been maintained or repaired. Based on this record, you can set up an effective maintenance schedule that avoids fixing what isn’t broken.