Are you interested in buying a used car? If so, then it is essential to perform a free VIN check before the purchase. The VIN check will provide you with adequate information about the car, thus enabling you to make an informed car purchase decision.
With your VIN number, you can use Epicvin to help you perform the VIN check. It is an approved National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) Data Provider. It helps protect customers from imposters and unsafe vehicles, ensure stolen cars are not resold, and give users the right and complete vehicle information. You can have a look at their website on epicvin.com for more details.
Vehicle History Report
Accidents
- It is crucial to know whether the car you intend to buy has ever been involved in an accident. Carfax and various history report providers collect data from the country’s motor vehicle departments, law enforcement agencies, and insurance companies to create a list of collisions that the vehicle has been involved in. Most of the time, serious structural damage and airbag deployments are included in the list. You need to be cautious if the car you intend to buy has been listed in either of the damages. You will need an independent mechanic to evaluate the repairs’ quality and search for more structural issues.
Other damages
- Vehicle history reports also display fire, floods, and hail damage. Repairing hail damage tends to be easier and safe as it affects the body panels and glass. Repairing fire or flood-damaged vehicles can be very difficult since the car might have some hidden damage that can cost you a huge amount of money and jeopardizes the car’s safety. The VIN check from the National Insurance Crime Bureau informs you whether the car was stolen and has not been recovered yet. Never purchase a stolen vehicle regardless of the excuse given by the seller regarding the car’s status.
Title history
- A title history that spans from one country to another within a short period is a good signal that the car’s previous owners are trying to display negative information off the title. From the vehicle history report, you can see if the title is branded. A branded title shows that the vehicle has several issues. Besides, having a car with a salvage title indicates that an autoinsurance company assessed the vehicle. It was not economically viable to repair, hence pronouncing it a total loss. It is not advisable to buy such cars.
Places the car has been sold
- The vehicle’s history report informs you when it first entered the service. You can also know the period and the location where it was resold in the ensuing years. A car that keeps moving from one state to another within a short period will raise a red flag to the buyer. It will inform the buyer of the negative information from the vehicle’s title that they are trying to clear.
The number of owners
- A car with one previous owner is far better than the one with multiple owners. Carfax and other report providers can show you the number of owners the car has had and classify who the owners are. Always aim at getting a vehicle with an individual owner. You should inform your mechanic when carrying out a pre-purchase inspection if the car was owned by a business or a rental car company. If the vehicle’s current owner bought it using a loan, it is essential to ensure that it has been cleared before transferring the title into your name.
Mileage
- At different points, the car records its odometer reading. The vehicle history report can either ascertain or question the odometer reading. If the dashboard readings are lower than those on the history report, it raises a red flag when you intend to buy a pre-owned car. Unless the seller has a good explanation regarding the discrepancies, then you should not purchase the vehicle.
Proper servicing
- It is essential to request service records on any vehicle that you intend to buy. The report should assist you to know whether significant service intervals have been done. It will also raise the alarm when you see major components like a transmission being replaced several times. Buyers should prioritize cars that have a detailed explanation of their service history instead of those without.
Open recalls
- As an essential part of car ownership, you should ensure that you go to the dealership once you have received a recall notice, and the repairs have been performed. Failure to do so will endanger other road users. A detailed vehicle history report will inform you of the manufacturer’s recalls and notify you whether the recall has been repaired. Most of the vehicles have been recalled at some point in their life; hence it should not hinder you from purchasing the car.
