A Guide to Performing a Thorough Used Car Background Check
If you're planning on buying a used car, it's crucial to ensure that you make a well informed decision. Taking the right steps to find the best vehicle for your needs will help you avoid making any costly mistakes down the road. Once you've found your ideal model, the next step is to perform an extensive VIN check. This process helps you become more familiar with your vehicle on a deeper level so that you can be sure it's the right choice for you.
Before you begin the background check, it's important to know what you can expect from the process. Here are some tips on checking the full history of a used vehicle before you purchase it.
Is a Used Car Background Check Necessary?
If you have your heart set on the used car of your dreams, you might be ready to take the leap and buy it without checking its history. However, this is a serious error that can end up costing you a significant amount of time and money in the long run.
Without performing a proper background check, you may discover after buying your car that it has various mechanical problems or that it suffered a major accident that damaged it irreversibly. Unfortunately, it will be too late for you to change your decision of buying the vehicle.
A background check isn't just about seeing what your car has been through up until the present moment. It also helps give you peace of mind in knowing that you made the best choice for your needs. In addition, knowing about any potential damages ahead of time saves you from paying for costly repairs and replacements later on.
Where to Find Your Car's VIN
To check the entire history of a used vehicle, you'll first need to access its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) report. The VIN can typically be found on the front door of the driver's side or in between the windshield and dashboard. Because every VIN is unique, finding the VIN of your used car will grant you access to information that is exclusive to that vehicle.
Once you find the VIN, you can use it to bring up a full report of your vehicle's history. This report covers everything from the car's accident history to its total number of previous owners. When you have this information handy, you can learn almost anything you want about your used car.
How To Analyze a VIN Report
Every car's VIN report is packed with useful information about its history. As you check the history of a used vehicle, be sure to keep these key pieces of information in mind.
Past Owners
One of the most crucial aspects of every VIN report is a list of previous owners. In most cases, the report will only display one or two past owners. If you see more than two owners listed, there may be a good reason for it. Don't hesitate to do some further investigation on the history of your car to confirm that there's nothing wrong with it.
Maintenance Records
Maintaining a car is already a big responsibility, so you don't want the added burden of solving issues that the previous owner caused. Fortunately, a quick glance at your car's maintenance records can tell you how often the vehicle received oil changes, tire rotations and other forms of routine care. The more diligent the last owner was in terms of caring for the vehicle, the less work you'll have to do in the long run.
Previous Accidents
Unfortunately, not all forms of car damage are immediately visible. If your used vehicle was ever in an accident, it may have sustained minor scratches or other forms of damage that you may not notice on your own.
It's important to ensure that your car is safe to drive and that all of its repairs have been addressed after the accident. In addition, you may be able to negotiate a lower price for a car that's been through post-accident damage.
Open Recalls
It's well worth your time to check your vehicle for any open recalls. Not only is this essential to your safety, but it also helps you understand what to expect from operating your used car.
Keep in mind that you normally don't have to pay for any repairs associated with open recalls. Most used car dealerships take care of these repairs at no charge so that you can focus on the safety of your vehicle. However, it's still important to be aware of any open recalls to ensure that you have the safest experience possible while driving.
Warranties
When uncovering the history of a used vehicle, you'll also want to pay attention to warranties. A standard VIN report will usually notify you if your car is currently under warranty. This feature is essential to saving money and avoiding stress while operating your used car. In the event that you're faced with any costly repairs or replacements, your warranty will come in handy. As a result, it's worth the extra time and effort to make sure that your car's warranty is still valid at the time of purchase.
Stay Safe by Checking the History of a Used Vehicle
Before you take the wheel of your used vehicle, you want to ensure that it's a perfect fit for your needs. The single most effective way to review the entire history of your used car is to find its VIN. Once you have access to this unique number, you can perform a thorough used car background check on your entire vehicle. From its full list of past owners to its complete collection of maintenance records, every piece of information in your VIN report can help you get closer to finding your perfect used car.