Check out a car’s history
Avehicle history report (VHR), also referred to as a VIN CHECK, used car report or car history report is a detailed document that provides vehicle information about the history of a particular car, boat, truck or RV.
In order to obtain a VHR to verify a car’s history, you’ll need to know the vehicle identification number.
A car report or VIN checker can reveal any other strikes against a vehicle that might make you think twice about signing on the dotted line, such as: past ownership; any liens held on the vehicle; vehicle maintenance; title history blemishes; faulty odometer settings; flood damage; accident history; title check; and whether a vehicle was determined to be a lemon.
You can find your car’s VIN in several places. In addition to appearing in the manual and on several important documents, the VIN also is printed on a sticker and adhered to various parts of the car. Check the doorjamb on the driver’s side, the front of the engine block, underneath the spare tire, and the rear wheel well.
A number of online services offer free basic VHRs. If you intend to eventually purchase a VHR, run your free report with a trusted and reputable service, such as AutoCheck. This will allow you to assess the company and become familiar with the site’s interface before purchasing a complete VHR.
Several dealerships will list a used car with a link to a free CARFAX VHR report. You may also search for used cars on CARFAX’s website. Each listing comes with a free CARFAX VHR. When running a free VHR, you will need to enter the VIN. You also may need to provide a ZIP code, license plate number or the state in which the car is registered.
After providing all the requested information and accepting any terms and conditions, click “Submit” or “Run.” The site will automatically load your free VHR.
A complete VHR will separate information into categories such as vehicle history and report summary, value calculator, ownership history, title history, additional history and detailed history. A free report will contain components of each section with general information. Since the free VHR is vague, it also may be harder to interpret.