When you order a vehicle history report, no stones go left unturned. Everything you can’t see on the outside or during the test drive reveals itself in a history report. A quick VIN search combs through hundreds of registration records, claims reports, loss reports, repair shop databases, and government recall records.

Ownership history is huge when buying a used car. The more hands through which the car has traveled, the less likely you are to buy it. Avoid cars that have endured frequent trade-ins, owners, and cars that have been owned by companies. Many times relators, contractors, livery services, and car rental companies trade in cars with high miles, frequent drivers, and a lot of wear and tear.

Many used car consumers don’t think they will get warranty coverage, especially if they purchase a car at a used car lot, off the internet, or from a private party. That is not always the case. Some newer cars may still be covered by the manufacturer’s powertrain warranty, as long as the previous owner complied with the warranty conditions. This is also why buying a single-owner car can be beneficial. A VIN search will let you know if the warranty is still active.

If a car has endured an accident that is so significant to deploy the airbags, you don’t need it. If the seller does not disclose the claim upfront, and you find it on your own with a VIN search, do not do business with the seller. Deployed airbag fraud is common, and it is dangerous. Doing a deployed airbag search tells you if you need to ask more questions about the claim and how the airbags were replaced. Some dishonest sellers or body shops will hide the deployed airbag back in the car, or they will use cheap airbags or knock-off airbags.

Another loss to consider when doing an airbag search is flood damage. No, the airbags won’t deploy, but water damage can affect the airbags, such as the mechanical parts, as well as deployment accuracy.

Cars with updated and consistent maintenance and service records are better for your wallet in the long-run. Regular maintenance prevents or minimizes the risk for large, expensive repairs in the future. A service records search also provides consumers with accurate mileage readings to compare to the odometer reading advertised or displayed on the dash. Service records allow buyers to determine how the car was cared for, how many miles were put on in each year and in between service, and significant breakdowns and repair in the past.