What is a Vehicle History Report for a Used Car?

When you buy a used car in Newport News, you want to know that you’re getting a great deal on a quality vehicle. But how do you know if the last owner took good care of the car — or if it was in an accident that has compromised its safety? You can get reassurance by looking at the vehicle history report.

What is a vehicle history report?

A vehicle history report tracks important occurrences throughout a specific car’s past, from the time of initial sale to the current moment when the report is compiled.

What’s on a vehicle history report?

This record keeps track of major incidents and events such as:

• Accidents that have been reported to an insurance company.

• How many owners the car has had, when they changed owners, and how many miles they were driven.

• If there were recalls on the vehicle and if they’ve been resolved.

• If the vehicle was totaled due to severe damage and is not considered a salvage.

• Maintenance that was performed by an authorized mechanic at a certified dealership.

How is a vehicle history report compiled?

When any of the above events occur, the car’s unique, 17-digit vehicle identification number is included in the documentation. A vehicle history report can then be compiled by searching for a car’s VIN through multiple databases. That’s why an incident without an official report won’t show up on a vehicle history report.
 

Why is a vehicle history report valuable when buying a used car?

These reports provide background information on a specific vehicle that any future owners should know. This data could convince or dissuade you from buying a specific car depending on its record. A car with a lot of red flags on its vehicle history report should be avoided, while a car with a clean record is more likely to be a trustworthy purchase.

Luckily, we don’t hide anything from you when you’re buying a car from Casey Auto. We want you to know all the details about the used cars we sell in Newport News. That’s why our used car dealership provides vehicle history reports for every vehicle on our lot.