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How to Check Your Vehicle’s History

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How to Check Your Vehicle’s History

24,418 views October 25, 2009 1:38

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ChannelHowcast

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Watch more How to Buy a Car videos: howcast.com/videos/212526-How-to-Check-Your-Veh…

Was that used car you're about to buy subjected to damage you can't see? Here's how to tell.

Step 1:
Jot down the VIN –the vehicle identification number – of the car you're considering. You can usually find it at the base of the windshield and on the driver-side doorjamb.

Tip
If the VIN doesn't have exactly 17 characters, the car was manufactured from before 1981 and won't be in any vehicle history database.

Step 2:
Search online for vehicle-history reporting sites by typing "vehicle history reports" into a search engine.

Step 3:
Choose between paying for a one-time report (around $20 to $25), or paying about $5 more for unlimited reports within a certain time period, usually 30 to 60 days.

Step 4:
Enter your VIN number. Review the report, which will include the number of owners, accident reports, signs that the odometer has been rolled back, whether the car was ever damaged enough to be certified as salvage, and whether it ever sustained fire or flood damage.

Tip
Beware of a car that was flooded or salvaged. Water can cause damage that doesn't show up right away, and cosmetic fixes can mask many problems that will crop up later.

Step 5:
Keep car shopping until you find a vehicle with a clean record you're satisfied with. Your reputation is your own business, but you'll want to avoid a car with a bad one!

Did You Know?
Texas has more used vehicles than any other state. Houston alone has about 32,000 on the market at any given time.

About this tutorial

Howcast published this 1:38 video tutorial on October 25, 2009. It has been watched 24,418 times on YouTube.

Channel
Howcast
Duration
1:38
Published
October 25, 2009
Views
24,418
Likes
126

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Further reading

  • How to check a car's history - Admiral.com admiral.com

    Follow these steps to make sure you’re doing a thorough check on a car's history before you hand over your money. 1. Run a car history check online. First of all, it's useful to run the car through the DVLA’s Vehicle In…

  • Check Any VIN - It's Free | Free Vehicle History and VIN Check vehiclehistory.com

    1) Enter Any VIN with Free Preview 2) Full VIN Reports Are Now Free. Search Any Vehicle History using our Free VIN Check and Free Vehicle History.

  • 4 Ways to Check Vehicle History for Free - wikiHow wikihow.com

    If you want to check a vehicle’s history for free, first find its Vehicle Identification Number, or “VIN,” on the driver’s side door jamb. You can then go online and enter the VIN to get a free vehicle history report fr…

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