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If you have bought or are about to buy a used car, its in your interests to find out as much about the vehicles history as you can. Its impossible to be completely sure of what youre paying for when you buy a second hand car, but if you can piece together as much of the cars service history and records as you can, youll at least know if theres been any serious issues such as a major collision or mileage fraud.
Step 1
Ask the dealership or individual youre buying the car from if they have the service history of the vehicle. Professional dealers should be able to provide you with this as a matter of course. If youre buying the car from an individual seller, ask if they have its manual as this will often contain its records.
Step 2
Contact the manufacturer of the car with the vehicle identification number. You might find this in the corner of the dashboard below the windshield, on the inside panel of one of the doors or on the chassis underneath the hood. Most manufacturers should be able to provide you with the cars records, especially if its been serviced by their technicians.
Run a Car Fax search. Car Fax works in a similar fashion to a credit reference agency with background information on cars. Youll need the vehicle identification number and it will cost you $34.99, to access the records of one car, as of November 2010. Car Fax has information on all cars and light trucks manufactured after 1981.
Warning
- Compare the mileage stated on the cars records to that stated on its clock. Mileage fraud is a common problem with used cars.
