Why You Need a Vehicle History Report before Buying a Used Car

When a person wishes to buy a product, it will be based on their monthly income, spending capacity and ofcourse the need of the hour. This holds true while making big investments such as buying a house or a car. When an individual decides to buy a car and can afford only a used car, so be it. They will go ahead with the decision and look around for a good deal on a car, either through the car dealers or through auto auctions.

When they do find a car that satisfies their needs, and fits their requirements, they will go ahead with the purchase. However, there are certain issues to be sorted out before closing the deal, which will help them determine how good the vehicle is, in terms of its running condition and quality of parts. It is not enough if the car looks good on the outside and belongs to an impressive brand; it needs to be functional as well as value for money.

The most important information that one needs to gather is about the vehicle history. When planning on purchasing a used car, one needs to be aware of what they are buying to save themselves from any unforeseen incidents later on. Since most of the used cars sold at lots are either from police confiscation, or abandonment, or maybe repossession by finance companies, they would have had a previous owner. So, it is essential to understand where the car comes from before you take it home.

You can check with the dealer if he has the vehicle history report. Some of the information to look for in it is,

Vehicle identification number – The mention of the VIN needs to be there on the history report. This is a unique number, which can be found on a metal plate near the windshield of every car. It is issued to the car by the manufacturer right after it has been manufactured and ready to be despatched for sale. If the car has been in any accident or crime, it will be reflected on the history report thanks to this VIN.

Location – the car dealer might tell you that the car you are looking at was owned by a person from Texas, but if you look at the report, it might speak differently. This will tell you the kind of terrain the vehicle was used in, and the condition of the tyres. So, be sure to ask for a report before taking any decisions.

CARFAX report – the buyer can demand for a CARFAX report, which is a detailed report containing information regarding the date of manufacture to the number of miles run on the car.

Condition of the vehicle – the vehicle history will have to provide information related to how long the car was used, what kind of driving was done, and if there were any major repairs done on it. This is to tell the new buyer how good the condition of the car is.