subject: Get A Great Used Car Using A Car History [print this page] When buying a used car in the past, it was difficult to know anything about the vehicles past. While you could have the previous owner or dealers word, those folks were not always know to be honest. For an honest evaluation today, you can order a car history.
The car history is a tool that will let you know in an informative and factual way any repairs that were done on a vehicle. In addition, it will tell you the mileage at which the repairs were done. This makes it easy to spot odometer rollbacks and to know if the vehicle you are considering has been in an accident.
While it is possible to get some of the reports free, if you are investing in a more expensive vehicle, the thirty to fifty dollars extra for the report with more detail may save you a trip to the mechanic which could cost hundreds of dollars.
After you find the vehicle you are interested in buying, take it for a test drive. Then order your car history report. You may be offered a copy from the dealer; however, you can easily order one for yourself. When reviewing a report be sure that it is no older than a couple of days.
In order to get the history of the vehicle you will need its VIN number. Copy it yourself from the dash or driver's door to take home so you can order the car history. From that history, you will know the number of owners of the vehicle and how long that they have owned a vehicle. Be cautious if you see the word lease or fleet on the report, as it may have been seriously abused by the many drivers.
You will also want to look for flood damage. There were many cars that were flooded a few years ago in Hurricane Katrina that were shipped from of Louisiana to be sold to the rest of the states. Car history reports will let you know if the car has had flood damage.
You should not trust a car history that is offered by the car dealer, but should order your own copy. It is possible that the dealer has doctored the report that he gives you and you will never know unless you get your own report. Verify that the VIN number of the vehicle matches the VIN number that is printed on the report. Do not use titles or registration numbers, but the actual number you have copied from the vehicle.
In addition to the car history, it is important to check with the National Insurance Crime Bureau. They will check the VIN number at no charge to ensure that the vehicle has not been reported stolen.
When you buy a vehicle, you can now have a report that tells you of any major repairs that have been done to a vehicle. This will help you to choose a vehicle that should be trouble free for several years. It can also save you the trouble of a car broken down on the side of the road.
