Why Are Vehicle History Reports So Important?

Purchasing a vehicle can be one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Selecting your ideal car, truck, or SUV requires equal parts patience and know-how, extracting as much information as possible to inform your purchasing decision.

While new cars straight from the factory floor are unlikely to hold any unforeseen surprises, used vehicles can pose a real threat of the unknown to an unsuspecting prospective owner. You just never know exactly what a vehicle has been through and, thus, have the potential to end up with a lemon on your hands.

Customers are advised to acquire vehicle history reports to avoid such a result. These data sets are often pretty concise and provide tons of pertinent information about the vehicle, making them helpful in ensuring you make the right choice. 

Let’s take a look at vehicle history reports and discuss their importance, benefits, and particular bits of data they contain. 

The Importance Of Vehicle History Reports

Buyers who purchase a brand-new vehicle straight off the showroom floor do not need to obtain vehicle history reports. Since the vehicle has not been driven, there should be no problems with it; if there are, the manufacturer will promptly send notifications or recalls. However, as auto prices continue to rise and Americans bear the burden of relentless inflation, consumers find themselves more inclined than ever to consider used vehicles - and that’s precisely where vehicle history reports come into play. 

These reports provide owners with the benefit of knowledge and foresight. Private sellers can trick you into overpaying for a poor-performing vehicle. They could also do this unknowingly by lacking the proper knowledge and history of the vehicle.

What Are The Benefits Of Purchasing A Vehicle History Report?

Vehicle history reports provide owners with a wealth of information. These reports contain aggregated data provided by several federal, state and local municipalities, as well as vehicle auction and auto body repair shops to see if a used vehicle incurred any damages, be it fire, flood, or even hail. The same goes for accidents, number of previous owners, mileage, registration, and maintenance records.

The benefits of knowing the maintenance history of a vehicle can not be overstated. For instance, all cars should undergo service every 7,500 or 10,000 miles, or at least once a year. Vehicle history reports will contain reported information on maintenance that a particular vehicle has undergone and be listed in chronological order, with exact mileage recorded during each entry. Therefore, you will know instantly whether or not the previous owner took care of the vehicle or not, and should have a detailed understanding of what’s going on under the hood. 

Ownership history can prove to be helpful as well. Sometimes, a vehicle can change hands many times within a short period of time. While there may be a perfectly reasonable explanation for this, it can sometimes indicate that something fishy is going on, or there’s a potentially irreparable issue waiting for you on the other side of that bill of sale!

While all vehicle history reports contain applicable information on a vehicle's history, certain reports are more detailed than others or include additional information that may be important. Services like AutoCheck® provide accurate, reliable information about your chosen vehicle. The service is powered by Experian, a market leader in information services, and has a very convenient score system with a budget-friendly price tag. 

What To Look For In A Vehicle History Report

AutoCheck® reports are divided into six primary categories of information, including: 

• Accident Check. AutoCheck® uses data from the Department/ Registry of Motor Vehicles, auctions, AutoCheck reports, and insurance companies to check for any recorded instances of auto accidents.

• State Title Brand and Other Problems. Such issues can be significant and inform prospective buyers whether the vehicle was salvaged, rebuilt, or is a lemon.

• Vehicle Use and Event Check. This category identifies how the car was used and records any cases of accidents, repossessions, and theft. 

• Odometer Check. This feature helps you identify incorrect or fraudulent mileage data, like rollbacks, rollovers, and other inconsistencies. 

• Detailed Vehicle History Report. This report allows you to review the reported history of a vehicle in chronological order.

• Structural Damage. This report section details minor and major incidents, allowing you to conclude whether the vehicle is in good driving condition. AutoCheck’s reports even allow buyers to learn about damages to the vehicle’s frame or unibody. 

When obtaining a vehicle history report, you should carefully inspect every category, including reported accidents or damages, odometer checks, or recalls. In tandem with the Detailed Vehicle History Report, this information should provide you with enough data to make an informed purchase decision.

If the vehicle in question has been salvaged, has incurred any structural damages, or has had many owners in a relatively short period, it is a definite red flag. The same ideology applies to mileage, as vehicles that stay in the garage or undergo extensive use tend to be more susceptible to mechanical issues. 

Carefully analyze every event in the Detailed Vehicle History Report, and take note of AutoCheck’s unique score. This proprietary scoring system is based on extensive data Autocheck has compiled for each vehicle. Compare the vehicle’s score with the average range. If the vehicle has a score of 82, but the comparison range averages between 88-90, this indicates that this model is in below-average condition.

Summary

Acquiring a vehicle history report is an excellent way to both identify used cars in poor condition and discover potential hidden gems. Though many private sellers or dealerships have vehicle history reports on hand, it’s always wise to do your own research and obtain your own records from a reliable source. 

Related Resources

• Research a Vehicle
• Cars for Sale
• Sell My Car
• Compare Cars
• Car Finder Tool
• Car Ratings
• Shopping Guides
• New Car Previews
• Expert Car Reviews