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Unlock the Secrets of the Car's Past
Buying a used vehicle comes with risks!
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Vehicle History
The vehicle history is a crucial element that everyone should review when buying a used car. Neglecting this practice can lead to serious financial consequences. Hidden vehicle defects can require significant financial investments to repair.
How to Check a Vehicle's History?
Checking a vehicle’s history is a crucial step before purchasing a used car. You can perform a free VIN check to find any vehicle by the nameplate. This can help avoid dishonest sellers and potential vehicle issues in the future. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to check a vehicle’s history:
- Obtain the VIN number
The VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a unique code of 17 characters that identifies most vehicles. The VIN can be found in several places on the car, such as:- the nameplate on the dashboard, visible through the windscreen,
- a sticker on the driver’s door or on the door pillar,
- in the vehicle registration documents.
- Check the Vehicle’s History in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
A free check with the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) provides VIN verification and basic information about a vehicle’s history: theft and salvage records, helping to protect consumers by using the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) to prevent fraud and ensure accurate and complete vehicle information. We are an approved nmvtis data provider. - Use The Vin Scout Vehicle History Reports Service
Checking the vehicle in the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) is crucial for a preliminary understanding of the vehicle’s history. However, for a complete picture, it’s worth opting for a comprehensive Vehicle History Report from The Vin Scout.
Why Obtain Vehicle History Reports from The Vin Scout?
- Avoiding surprises
Vehicle history reports can reveal important information, such as significant damage that could affect the car’s structural integrity. This is crucial for safety and protects from fraud and unsafe vehicles.
- Assess Vehicle Value
Understanding the full history helps determine if the price offered by the seller is appropriate. Vehicles with a clean history are generally worth more than those with numerous damages, repairs, or recalls. This is why some dishonest sellers hide the true history of the vehicle.
- Verify Legality
The vehicle history allows checking if the car is stolen and if all its documents are in order. This can protect the buyer from future legal consequences, including confiscation of the purchased vehicle.
- Previous Owners and Usage Information
Having a complete and accurate usage history helps understand the extent and nature of the vehicle’s use. Depending on the number of previous owners and their legal categories (private, state, or company), you can determine how the vehicle was used, affecting its degree of wear and its market value.
- Mileage Verification
Recorded mileages and their increase can help indicate whether the odometer readings in the ad are credible or if there may have been odometer rollback.
- Varied data sources
The Vin Scout’s Vehicle History Reports are built based on data collected from over 50,000 automotive related services – car dealerships, financial institutions, insurance companies and other entities that provide vehicle history reports.
Vehicle History by VIN Number
One of the largest databases from 26+ countries in Europe and North America
1,000+ customers per day get our help in their vehicle buying decision
4,000,000+ vehicle history reports generated
Report available online in PDF format — 24/7, 365 days a year
5-10%
Value of the vehicle could increase by adding The Vin Scout report to the listing.*
7 369 USD*
Value of the vehicle could decrease by if the mileage is rolled back by every 50-100k km.**
70%
Vehicle buyers might have experienced intentional manipulation by sellers.*
Your guide - FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Our Vehicle History Reports include vehicle data from more than 26+ European countries, the US and Canada, from more than 50,000 different automotive service providers.
Thousands of consumers rely on The Vin Scout reports every day to help them make the final decision to buy or sell a used car. The Vehicle History Report can include information on whether a car has been involved in an accident, had any service actions, damage, or previous owners. See prices.
You can request a free The Vin Scout Vehicle History Report from one of 300+ trusted and reliable car dealers. Discount codes also appear regularly on our social media. You can look for information about promotional campaigns on the blog and directly at our Customer Service.
Vehicle History Reports are available for all vehicles manufactured after 1981, when the 17-character VIN number was standardized. The Vin Scout service provides data from more than 50,000 institutions in the automotive sector.
Among the most important are car dealers, garages, vehicle inspection stations, financial institutions, government, associations, repositories and records of stolen vehicles, police, dismantling stations, car dealerships.
The Vin Scout service is the most complete source of information from more than 26+ European countries, the US and Canada. The data comes from more than 50,000 different institutions providing services in or for the automotive sector.
Among the most important are:
- car dealers,
- workshops,
- vehicle inspection stations,
- financial institutions,
- state administration,
- associations,
- repositories,
- records of stolen vehicles,
- police,
- disassembly stations,
- car dealerships.
The amount of data included in the report depends on the specific VIN number, and the type and amount of information is always presented before purchasing the full report.
The cost of a full The Vin Scout Vehicle History Report is 24,99 €. The Vin Scout service also has a special package offer aimed at business customers, with a special focus on authorized and unauthorized dealers. See prices.
Checking the VIN number is an integral part of a transparent process of both buying and selling a vehicle. An investment in The Vin Scout's Vehicle History Report pays for itself even several hundred times over, because when you spend a few dozen euros and add the report to your ad, you can earn an additional 5-10% of the initial value of the car.
The total cost of damage to vehicles detected annually by The Vin Scout reaches 889 million euros, and damage has been recorded in nearly 480,000 cases. The most popular models in our market had at least a 32% probability of damage in Vehicle History Reports
The Vin Scout Vehicle History Report can be used by anyone who wants to check the history of a used car. We have already generated over 4,000,000 reports that have helped (both sellers and buyers) to get the full history of any vehicle.
Our reports are also extremely useful for people who already own a vehicle but do not know its full history. Such knowledge makes it easier to operate the vehicle later on and gives you an idea of how it should be treated.
The VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) consists of 17 characters and serves as a unique identifier for a specific vehicle. It can be found, for example, on the registration certificate or on the driver's-side windshield. At The Vin Scout, you can use the VIN or license plate number to obtain a Vehicle History Report. Check the number VIN or license plate.
Up to 70% of vehicle buyers have experienced manipulation by sellers, so the best solution would be to ask for the VIN number before seeing the car. If the seller is unwilling to provide the VIN number, be careful.
Because the Vehicle History Report is instantly available online and you don't need any specific document to buy it, you can also learn about the car's history when you go to see it in person.
What will you gain with The Vin Scout report?
Silver Elite
€34.99
report delivered in
12-24 hours
Presence in stolen vehicle databases
Previous odometer readings
Recorded damage history
Dates and countries of previous registrations
Archived photos of the vehicle
Validity of the technical inspection
Previous vehicle purpose (e.g., TAXI)
Legal issues with the vehicle (e.g., tax liens)
