There are many reasons why more people are opting for used cars rather than new ones, and the price is just one of them. It’s a given that a used vehicle will be less expensive than a new vehicle, and most of these second-hand models are at least 25% less compared to new models. But why else are more consumers choosing to purchase used instead of new?

It’s also about practicality because you already have a good idea of the vehicle’s reliability, performance, and longevity with a used vehicle. Newly-released vehicles don’t have that much information about them, but used vehicles will often come with various reviews and guides so you can prolong their lifespan and enjoy them for more than a few years yet. But it still pays to check the car out as thoroughly as possible, and this is where the vehicle history report comes in.

So are you buying a used car? Here’s why a vehicle history report is essential.

How to get it?

First off, getting a vehicle history report isn’t that hard. All you need is the VIN or vehicle identification number or the license plate number, and you can get the vehicle history report from companies like Autocheck or Carfax. Many dealerships will even provide you with the report for free, but if you decide to order the report yourself, it can cost about $25. But what information can you see in a vehicle history report? Well, it will contain the following:

• A list of any accidents

While the report may not list down a recent accident, it will often include details regarding major accidents the vehicle has been involved in. It makes use of data from local DMVs, police agencies, insurance firms, and more. In certain instances, the report will even state detailed info such as whether it deployed airbags or had any structural damage.

Once you see a list of an accident on the report, it shouldn’t prevent you from purchasing the vehicle. Instead, what you can do is have a mechanic check it out so they can assess the quality of the car’s repairs. You can even use the accident and subsequent repairs as leverage to possibly negotiate a discount.

• Mileage

Nowadays, 100,000 miles is no more the ‘end of the line’ for most of modern cars. Still, it is important to know the true mileage of the car that you are looking forward to buy. This will help you to know what kind of service the car needs and how often you need it.

It also explains how much wear and year the drivetrain, engine, and other parts have witnessed. Do not forget to confirm the mileage on the odometer against the mileage on the history report. In case there’s a major discrepancy, check it out thoroughly.

• Maintenance Records

Vehicle history reports include detailed records of many aspects like

• What kind of service was there in the past
• Frequency of the service
• The executive who performed the service, etc.

All these are very crucial from the buyer’s point of view. This gives a clear picture of how the car was treated and what issues you might face down in the future.  In case you want to keep the used car & want maximum performance, you need to check the vehicle history report.

• Other damages

The report will also show you if the vehicle has been affected by a fire, flooding, or has other damages, as used car Utah specialists like Young Automotive attests.  Needless to say, if a vehicle has suffered from a fire or flood, this should already knock it off your list. For example, even if you don’t live in flood-prone areas, the car can still have water damage. And used cars can go far away from where they were damaged. Here vehicle history report is one of the most important ways to check whether the car has flood damage.

Damage because of flooding can cause some serious problems in the car, especially in the exhaust and car’s intake. You can also see if it was stolen at some point – if it was, check when it happened and how long it took before they recovered the vehicle. If it took too long for them to retrieve it, you might want to remove the car from your list as well.

• Numbers of Owners Previously

A car with only one owner in the past is more valuable than having multiple owners. You can get information about the previous owner details from the public owners. Experts suggest buying a car with only one owner is always a good deal. The report might show that the vehicle was with other businesses, fleet operators, or rental car companies.

If this happens with you, make sure the mechanic doing pre-purchase inspection knows about this. In some cases, the previous owner has an outstanding loan amount. In such a scenario, it is important to show lien in the report. Also, check that there is no due amount for the previous loan before transferring the title to your name.

• Place of Registration and Inspection

All the car owners must renew the registration. In addition, in some places, agencies ask for emissions, safety, and other motor vehicles performed at regular intervals of time.  All these transactions with the state DMVs offer a significant amount of information about the history of the vehicle.

It is important to have a close watch for the intervals or gaps in the history of registration. This can indicate a set of times when the registration was not renewed, stolen, abandoned, or went through a major collision reconstruction procedure.

• The title

When you receive the report, it will also give you details about the vehicle’s title. If the title is ‘branded’ or they moved the vehicle around different states, it’s not a good sign. Other titles include junk, rebuilt, or salvage, which indicates that an insurance company classified it as a total loss. If the vehicle has other titles, such as police or taxi use, you can also use this as leverage to ask for a lower price.

What to Do After having a vehicle History Report?

Though you will have a complete story of the car, a vehicle history report can still give you a lot of other information. Most of the details in the report are similar to the facts given by the insurance agencies or police departments. For example, you will get to know about an accident only if it is reported.

In some cases, even the incident is in the reports; it takes months to be visible in the vehicle history report. Apart from just relying on the vehicle history report, make sure to other things also. Remember that you are not buying a lemon. You can go for a detailed inspection or get a test drive to check whether everything is in order.

A vehicle history report is great to start to make sure that the car you want to buy will give you worth of money. Get expert and professional technicians for car inspection in order to to get information about the vehicle. Please feel free to come to the comment box in ask your queries or share insights. You can feel free contact to our website for more information about used car.