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Is a VIN search worth the money?


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indy4192
User

Aug 26, 2010, 1:55 PM

Post #1 of 3 (1832 views)
Is a VIN search worth the money? Sign In

A friend of mine said I should do a VIN search on the KIA I just bought used. I see the "Car fax" ads on TV but really wonder if those services are worth the money. I have found places on the web where you can put your VIN in for free and it will tell you how many things are listed on your report, but to find out what they are, you have to pay with the cheapest being $29.99.

I know the car was a 1 owner as in the glove compartment was paper work from work that was done and the original paper work from when they originally purchased the mini van back in 2002. I spoke with the dealership adn gave them the VIN and they told me what limited work they did, but I already knew that because that paperwork was in the glove compartment also. i also found paperwork from Car X where he had the brakes done back at 56,000 miles and the paperwork from the $200 stereo he had installed by Best Buy. So what other info might be on a VIN report?


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Aug 26, 2010, 2:17 PM

Post #2 of 3 (1829 views)
Re: Is a VIN search worth the money? Sign In

That's really something to do pre-purchase and ones I've seen mentioned when they were inspected and could have said if major claim was made to fix an accident or if your area doesn't tattoo cars as fixed from salvage as here you could be forwarwarned that it's a salvage vehicle but here title will say that forever.

It might not include even some major repairs that were paid out of pocket. Would be ok for verifying miles but that's pretty hard to fudge on later cars.

Pre inspections by second party tech or shop is always a good idea. I can spot repainted items and make a pretty good guess the extent of what was repaired or if all original paint. If a used car has all new paint in newer cars I would suspect it has something nasty happened. Much older and depending on price it could have just needed it.

I don't see how if things were paid out of pocket they would absolutely show up.

You own it now so I wouldn't bother. Dealers will near always provide you with a copy for free if negotiating for a used car - they did as they want to know,


T



Sidom
Veteran / Moderator
Sidom profile image

Aug 26, 2010, 7:11 PM

Post #3 of 3 (1820 views)
Re: Is a VIN search worth the money? Sign In

Like Tom said that is something you would do before you buy the car. Once you have it's yours.....

As Tom mentioned, I think the only thing that would show up on those would major accidents & any liens or stuff like that.....

The shop I've work at does major repairs to engines, rear ends & swaps trannys and there is nothing about the WOs that would ever show up on any VIN search...... Body shops deal a lot with insurance companies, so obviously they are working with the VINs and I'm sure that's how the info gets into a searchable data base. So even with body work. If it was major & no insurance company involved, it probably wouldn't show up....

Now that I think about, we do deal with fleet companies as well and that is a royal PITA for the writers...... I guess I wouldn't be surprised if that info was available in a search somewhere..... Same hoops as the body shops with the vin, license, mileage, fighting over parts & labor prices, waiting for authorization and about a dozen other things.......... Once again though, if the fleets weren't involved, it wouldn't show up and they are a small percent of our business....






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