back to articles | September 24, 2024 | Robert P Allred

Categories: Vehicle & Buying Research

How to Check VIN Code: History of Your Car Before Buying

Buying a second-hand car demands all the information regarding the history of the vehicle. The first steps of such an effort are the Vehicle Identification Number check.

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Buying a second-hand car demands all the information regarding the history of the vehicle. The first steps of such an effort are the Vehicle Identification Number check.

VIN is a 17-character code that speaks to anything one may want to know about the car's past: accidents, repairs, previous ownership, or anything else. This article looks at why VIN checking has become so important and how the application of VIN services such as Vingurus simplifies the whole process.

Why Check the VIN Code of a Car?

There are quite a number of reasons why VIN checking is important. Some of these include not buying a stolen car. Normally, the VIN number would be tampered with or totally removed by thieves because it makes the tracing of such a vehicle quite difficult for them. This is how checking the VIN verifies that the car has no theft issue.

Other critical reasons to check the VIN are to avoid buying a car with a salvage title.

Cars with a salvage title mean those which the insurance companies have declared a total loss due to extensive damage. These cars are hard to sell and may not tell all the underlying problems that can make driving unsafe. A similar check with the VIN is important for insight regarding the vehicle's maintenance, its accident history, and other related aspects so that one may make a better judgment as to whether or not to buy the car.

How to Check the VIN Code on a Car

The car's VIN code can be checked in numerous ways. Some reasons of those effective ways are VIN lookups like Vingurus: on the complete VIN reports, Vingurus.com offers access to the full history of the car, its past accidents, title issues, and any recorded repairs.

How to use the VINLookup online tool: just insert the car's VIN in the searching bar, and you'll get a detailed report. It will show basic information that usually includes information about car make, model, year, and manufacturing country, but that is not all. Vingurus is great at providing thorough and correct data so you can be sure your report will be trustworthy. Preferably, or even better, ask for a VIN report directly from the seller or dealer. Good ones should be able to provide this report, increasing transparency of the car's history for them.

What to Check in the Car's VIN Code

As far as the VIN report review goes, several red flags need to be looked out for. To begin with, the VIN code of the car should match the one in the report. Differences in VIN will give reasons for tampering. Secondly, check for any record of accidents; scan for signs of extensive damage or repairs that may jeopardize safety andwhittle down the car's value.

Another thing it would be important to check would be whether the car has been salvaged or stolen. This is important in ascertaining that the car is safe and clear legally to buy. Vingurus gives you elaborative reports comprising all these vital points keeping you from making costly mistakes.

Benefits of Using Vingurus

Among them is Vingurus, a reliable VIN service to give you exhaustive vehicle history in order to save you from a problematic car purchase. It collects its data from several reliable sources, such as NMVTIS, to create a strong basis for the correctness and actuality of information provided to customers. Some of the key details one is able to find out with the use of Vingurus include:

  • Get access to complete vehicle history reports.
  • Detect any prior accidents, repairs, and title issues.
  • Ensure that the car you are about to buy is a valid one.

Apart from the comprehensive reports, Vingurus has made the interface very easy to use for both car enthusiasts and casual buyers alike.

Pre-Approval of Car Loan

Besides VIN verification of the car, it is wise to get a pre-approval for an auto loan before commencement of shopping. The pre-approval gives you an idea of how much you can afford, enabling you to bargain with sellers. You tell the lender your income and job history, credit history, and they decide how much to give you and at what interest rate.

Conclusion

Checking the VIN code of the car is one of the critical steps in purchasing a safe and reliable used car. With the help of tools such as Vingurus, the process of checking truly becomes easy while offering detailed reports in depth from any incident in the history of the car to the title status of the vehicle. You can avoid costly mistakes and drive away in confidence by thoroughly researching the car's past. Add to this a preapproved car loan, and you shall be in a better position to make a financially valid decision.