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Overview
Individuals interested in buying a used car can access the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) records about the vehicle by ordering a history report. There are several online resources that a consumer can use to access a basic or comprehensive report about the vehicle. This process helps reveal critical information about the car's mechanical repairs or defects, product recall notices and any major collisions that previous owners may have been involved in.
Function
Vehicle history reports provide detailed information about a car by checking all DMV records. The consumer or dealer can enter the Vehicle Identification Number( VIN) of the vehicle to obtain this report, and free online reporting services will reveal the number of records in the file. Consumers or dealers who wish to obtain a more detailed report that reveals what these records are for typically pay between $19.95 to $29.99 for full access to the file.
Types
Some of the leading providers of free online vehicle history reports include CARFAX; GovDMVRecords.com and VINDetective.com. These sites only need a VIN number to retrieve the basic report. According to Edmunds.com, a car buying authority that provides consumers with unbiased information, CARFAX sources information from over 4,400 different sources and has created a database of over 2 billion records that can be emailed directly to the consumer or dealer.
Features
Vehicle history reports contain vital information such as actual mileage readings, damages that result from a collision, any hail or fire damage, ownership history, recall history, accidents and service information, flooding, odometer problems, airbag deployment and whether the car has been declared as a total loss or wreck at any point in time. However, a free report will only show the number of records for each of these categories and does not provide any specific details such as dates or other information about the circumstances.
Benefits
Running a free vehicle history report before test-driving a car or traveling to see a vehicle for possible purchase can help with the decision-making process. If a car has several records on file, the consumer can upgrade their report to receive detailed information and protect themselves with extensive knowledge about the vehicle. The vehicle history reports can be downloaded within seconds and consumers have the option to purchase multiple reports for a reduced rate.
Considerations
Some dealers offer free history reports to customers at no extra charge. They may post the report on their website or provide it to customers who test-drive the vehicle. This can help save on the costs of a detailed report when buying a used car and eliminate the need to register on some of the online vehicle history report websites altogether. Some vehicle history report providers offer unlimited report packages for a period of 60 to 90 days for a flat fee. This allows consumers or dealers to access as many reports as they wish without paying regular rates when comparing different used cars.
