Does That Car Have A History?

There’s a type of auto protection that occurs before buying insurance. Certainly it is still important to closely examine the cars under consideration and ask pointed questions about them including how they handle in turns, emergency braking, gas mileage and maintenance costs. Just as important is to be comfortable with the party selling the vehicle, such as a reputable dealer.

Of course, particularly with used cars, vans or trucks, personal inspections and a vehicle Q&A session may still be insufficient to get all the details you need. A method that may be more helpful, and less expensive than taking a car to a trusted mechanic, is to check out the car’s history. Fortunately, several companies now make such reports readily available. With access to the ‘Net, you can also run down such information on your own!

An Online search will result in finding a number of credible services that provide historical information on any vehicle that has a legal identification or a VIN (vehicle identification number). For a reasonable fee (and in some instances, free) and armed with the VIN, a subscriber may request a search for information and can be alerted to any number of potential headaches such as the vehicle:

• is stolen
• was repaired after a serious accident
• had its odometer reading lowered
• suffered flood or other weather-related damage
• is or was part of a manufacturer recall
• has a history of recurring repairs
• was previously used by emergency personnel
• was used commercially (retail food deliveries, newspaper delivery or as a taxi)

All of these are serious considerations that, without a car history service, can be easily hidden from an unwary buyer. So use every tool available to make a smart choice.

If any of the above issues do arise they could limit your ability to get physical damage insurance on your vehicle which most lenders require. So do your research first and spend a little money to save yourself time later.  If you have any questions contact us at (877)277-9036.

Source: ©The Rough Notes Company, Inc.