If you are considering buying a used car, it is essential to know what information is on the vehicle history report.

The vehicle history report is a report that lists all past accidents, moving violations, and other problems with your car. This report can help you make an informed decision about whether or not to buy the car.

However, some persons struggle to read and understand a vehicle’s history report 

This article will teach you how to read a vehicle’s history and understand its information. Feel free to visit and decode any VIN number using our VIN Decoder service

Using the vehicle history report from Detailed Vehicle History as a case study, here is an explanation of the various sections.

Preliminary Vehicle information

This section provides the user with initial information about the vehicle such as the vehicle’s manufacturer, model, year, and VIN. Detailed Vehicle History makes it possible for its users to be able to download the vehicle history report.

Quick Summary of the Vehicle 

This section gives a quick overview of the vehicle’s history, it gives information on accidents and the degree of damage reported on the vehicle.

The last odometer reading is also reported in this section alongside the number of previous owners of the vehicle and usage timeline.

The window sticker section

The window sticker is also known as the Monroney label. It is a document that provides information about the vehicle such as MSRP, Fuel efficiency rating, emission rating, and special features of the vehicle.

Auction records

This section provides images of the vehicle before it was sold, arming the user with a visual aid for understanding the previous nature of the vehicle.

The section also provides the title and condition of the vehicle, explaining if the vehicle is salvaged, flood-damaged, fire branded, hail damaged, leased, etc

Also provided is the main auction information, where and when the vehicle was sold, and the price for which it was sold.

There is also information about the technical specifications of the vehicle listing all major features of the vehicle. 

The sales history is a record of all the sales the vehicle has undergone.

Title verification section 

This section highlights all titles the car has been branded during the lifetime of the vehicle, listing the issues in a tabular format.

Accident records 

This section provides detailed information on accidents reported on the vehicle including the area where the accident occurred.

Damage verification

This section discusses the various damages reported on the vehicle, it lists the damages in a tabular form, verified damages done to the vehicle are usually indicated with a red triangle.

Odometer verification

In an era of fraudulent practices, this section helps used car buyers to cross-check the current odometer reading on the dashboard of the car in other to confirm whether or not the odometer has been rolled back.

Event verification 

This section brings to bear all the major events that have occurred in the life of the vehicle, explaining if a vehicle was stolen, leased, deemed as a total loss, had a duplicate title, etc.

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Detailed vehicle history

This section list all major events alongside the data sources for verification purpose, the events are listed with the current mileage of the vehicle where and when possible.

Recalls

This section provides a detailed report on open recalls of the vehicle. A recall is usually issued when they are a defect in the vehicle that poses a threat to the safety of the driver and the passengers. This is usually due to a commission or omission error from the side of the manufacturer.

Other sections

Obtaining and understanding a vehicle history report is a crucial step toward making a buying decision as it has helped many buyers to avoid buying cars that are stolen, cars with debt, flood-damaged vehicles, and cars that had accidents in the past.

Detailed Vehicle History has developed an application that provides vehicle history reports alongside a free VIN decoding service! 

You can download the free VIN decoder app now and enjoy free VIN decoding even without the internet! You can also get a 60% discount when you use the coupon code: Mega60.

iPhone and iPad users can download this free VIN decoder and vehicle history app from the App store also.

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