Buyer guides
Used car buyer guides
Straightforward, practical guides on checking a used vehicle's history, title, mileage and safety records before you buy. Every guide ends with a VIN check so you can act on what you just read.
Damage & history
How to check car accident history
Combine VIN damage records with a panel-gap and paint inspection to find repaired collisions.
Read guideHow to check for odometer rollback
Build a mileage timeline from the VIN and read the wear that a rewritten dash cannot hide.
Read guideHow to check a car for flood damage
Spot cleaned-up storm cars through title brands, corrosion patterns and electrical faults.
Read guideTitle & ownership
What is a salvage title?
What each title brand means for value, insurance and safety — and how title washing works.
Read guideHow to check for a lien on a car
Find an outstanding loan before you pay, and structure a private sale so the debt clears.
Read guideHow to check if a car is stolen
Five steps to verify theft status, from the VIN check to asking the police to run NCIC.
Read guideSafety & data
How to check vehicle recalls by VIN
Find open safety recalls for your exact VIN and book the free dealer repair.
Read guideVIN decoder: what each character means
Break a 17-character VIN into manufacturer, model, engine, plant and serial data.
Read guideWhat a free VIN check includes
Exactly which findings you see before paying, and which records sit behind the report.
Read guideLicense plate lookup
Find a vehicle from its plate when the seller has not shared the VIN yet.
Read guideCheck a vehicle now
Enter a 17-character VIN or a license plate. The first findings are free.