Public Information on Vehicle Records
Before purchasing a pre-owned vehicle, run a vehicle history check to see if the car has had any severe accidents, flooding damage, or a long history of service repairs. Use the unique Vehicle Identification Number to run a vehicle history report through a service such as CARFAX or AutoCheck.
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Background
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Since model year 1981, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has required automobile manufacturers to mark each vehicle with a 17-character Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
Vehicle History Report
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With this VIN you have access to a vehicle's record of service repairs, accident damage, number of owners, structural frame damage, and even information as to whether the odometer has been tampered with.
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Title Washing Fraud
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If a vehicle is destroyed or considered "totaled" (if the cost of repairs would be about 75 percent of the value of the vehicle), the car is branded with a "salvage title." A "title-washing" scam involves rebuilding a vehicle and moving it to another state where the salvage brand is not reflected. However, potential car buyers can run a vehicle history report to see if the vehicle has been declared a total loss by an insurance company.
Lemons
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If a vehicle had major defects and was returned to the manufacturer, the vehicle history report will show that the vehicle was branded as a "lemon" by the state department of motor vehicles.
How to Check a Vehicle's History
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CARFAX and Experian's AutoCheck are two services that provide a complete vehicle history for a fee. Most state motor vehicles departments allow you to use a VIN to track a vehicle's title history. Some car dealers provide the vehicle history at no charge to the buyer.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Bowen
