EBay announced today that they will be providing a “free vehicle history reports” via AutoCheck* for any vehicle listed 1981 and newer. Of course its not really free because you still have to pay for the listing. In any event consumers will be able to bid with some added confidence knowing the history of the vehicle.
Consumers need to be warned that although the VHR are fairly accurate some vehicles have been in an accident that has never been reported while others have been mistakenly marked off as uni-body by an auction when only a fender has been repaired or replaced. At the end of the day a simple report is no substitute for a hands on pre-purchase inspection.
What vehicle history reports do provide:
- Number of previous owners
- Any Maintenance that has been performed (done at the dealership)
- Where the car was registered
- How many miles the vehicle has been driven (useful tool to see if the odometer has been set back)
- Reported accident history
- Flood/Fire damage
- Title status – Clean – Rebuilt – Salvage
What vehicle history reports don’t provide:
- Accidents that were never reported
- Did a smoker own the vehicle?
- Is the car mechanically sound?
- Do all the power accessories work?
- Is the AC cold?
- What is the condition of the wearable items like the clutch, brakes and tires?
- Who drove the vehicle – grandmother or teenage boy racer?
I personally always recommend purchasing a car locally for the very simple reason – you know exactly what you are getting and from whom
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