Getting your facts straight is the first step when you are buying or selling a used vehicle. A vehicle history report gives you all the information one would need to make an informed decision. Past damage from accidents can impact a vehicle’s value significantly and be unsafe to drive!
Every vehicle has a unique VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). The VIN number is stamped onto a small metal plate and is attached to the drivers side of the dash where it meets the window. The VIN allows the Department of Motor Vehicles or the Department of Transportation to keep track of the vehicles registered owner. Police also use this number to verify that a vehicle has not been stolen and is in the possession of the original owner. However, it takes professional thieves only seconds to replace this plate with one from a legally purchased junk car of the same make and model.
A car's vehicle identification number (VIN) is the automotive equivalent of human "DNA". It sets the vehicle apart from the millions of other vehicles out there. In recent times it has been reflected in 17 digit characters. It displays a car's uniqueness and heritage and provides a form of "factory to scrap yard" identification. It can be used to track recalls, registrations, warranty claims, thefts and insurance coverage. Each character or digit has a particular purpose.
The VIN can be found by looking at the dashboard on the driver side of the vehicle. If the VIN cannot be found, open the driver side door and look at the door post (where the door latches when it is closed). It is likely that the VIN will also be displayed on the windshield of the vehicle (driver side)
