Get A Great Used Car Using A Car History
Nov 21, 2009 More Saving
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For many years, buying a used car was just a shot in the dark. You could kick a few tires, look at the engine, take a test drive and hope for the best. Today there is a much better way to buy a car and that is by looking at the car history to see what repairs have been done to the car.
A car history is a tool that can let you know in a factual way the specific repairs that have been done on a vehicle. Since the odometer reading is reported with each repair, you can easily spot any rollbacks on the odometer. In addition, any body repairs will be noted on the report, so you can know if the car has been in an accident.
Although it is possible to get some car history report free, the price of the more detailed reports is often well worth the thirty to fifty dollars that are spent. One trip to the auto repair shop can often cost much more than the car history report.
After you have test driven the auto you think you want to purchase, you should head home and order your own copy of the car history. While not all used car dealers are dishonest, there have been some that will offer a doctored report that shows a vehicle as clean when it has had to have major repairs. The report you get should be no less than two days old.
To order the report you will need the VIN number to request a history of the vehicle. This number can be found on the dash or the driver’s side door panel. The car history will let you know how many owners the vehicle has had and how long they have owned the car. If you see the word lease or fleet on the report, it may have been part of a motor pool and not have had the best of care taken when driven.
It is especially important that after Hurricane Katrina you look for flood damage. In the aftermath of the flooding the hurricane caused, there were thousands of cars shipped all over the country to be resold.
Do not trust the dealers car history report, pay to get your own. Be sure that you double check the VIN number from the report with the one on the vehicle. This can save major headaches down the road. Taking the time to get a report may also give you some cooling off time to be sure that you want to buy the vehicle before signing paperwork.
Also check ask the National Insurance Crime Bureau for a report. This will assure that your are not buying a vehicle that has been stolen and not recovered. You do not want to be stuck with a stolen vehicle. There is no guarantee that you will get the money you have invested back.
Buying a used car no longer has to be a shot in the dark. With a car history, you can know if the car you are considering has had major damage or repairs before you buy the vehicle.
You can easily check used car history online these days but you can also find out lots about car history and the modern car history on Mick website about the very first cars as well as modern cars.
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Tags: automotive, Car History, cars, History, More Saving, technology
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