How to Make a Well-Informed Decision When Buying a Used Car: VehicleHistory.Report Review

One of the scariest things about buying a used car is fear of the unknown. Pulling the trigger on a seemingly great deal on an ideal car can definitely cause sleepless nights later on. There’s nothing worse than trusting a buyer only to learn later that your new (to you) car has hidden indicators of an accident or isn’t even owned by the person selling it to you!

There’s also other issues that need to be addressed before buying a car, such as whether the vehicle has known technical issues. It’s also important to know whether you’re actually getting a fair market price based on similar vehicles, with similar specs, currently on the market. That’s where Vehicle History Report comes into the equation.

VehicleHistory.Report screenshot

All the information a vehicle buyer needs

Just using your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), the site can offer you detailed history reports on used cars, so you don’t end up getting screwed over by used car dealers and private sellers. A VIN check report can show you a detailed accident and insurance history, how the price of a given vehicle stacks up to current market prices, recall/technical service bulletin status, past ownership (including odometer readings at registration), open liens/loans on the vehicle title, and much more.

The finished report even includes a sale’s listing history of previous times the vehicle was advertised, which can be invaluable for identifying underlying issues with the vehicle that may not have been officially documented. In my mind, all vehicle history reports should include information like this to help their clients make the most informed buying decisions.

Better than the competition

Vehicle History Report’s VIN lookup service offers value above and beyond their competition. For instance, unlike CarFax, they don’t limit your access to reports for only 30 days, then lock you out unless you pay for another report. Other competitors give you just 21 days of access to your reports before they expire!

The team at Vehicle History Report feel that once you’ve paid for the information, it should be yours for as long as you need it. After all, once you buy a vehicle, there will come times when you may want to access the detailed information offered throughout that ownership, right? The site gets all vehicle data directly from your respective state’s DMV, and delivers it to you in a real-time report that’s available as long as you need it (here’s a sample report.)

Sample report snapshot
Snapshot of sample VIN report

Consider the value in learning that the car you’re test driving made its way to a used car dealer in California after being pulled out of flood waters in Texas. Or, discovering that the vehicle you want to buy has had 10 owners since it’s manufacture date 8 years ago.

The recall status and information about technical service bulletins is also quite valuable. This information can help you assess the overall reliability and true value of a vehicle being considered. At the very least, you’ll know upfront if you need to make a trip or 2 to the dealer for free upgrades that can save you breaking down on the interstate in the middle of winter.

Pricing advantage

Why would anyone knowingly pay a competitor more, for the same information? A single vehicle search costs $25 (Basic) on Vehicle History Report. CarFax charges $40 for the same report — which expires 30 days after purchase. A silver package will get you 2 comprehensive searches for an additional $10.

The price per search gets lower and lower as you go. You can have up to 5 searches for $60, or 10 vehicle reports for just $100. Consider how many prospective vehicles you’re bound to go through before settling on the right one. Spend a few dollars on Vehicle History Report and save untold dollars in repairs and potential aggravation. It’s a no-brainer.

Dealer program

If you’re a small, medium, or large-sized car dealer, you know how easily a bad purchase can hurt your reputation when you sell a lemon to a client. Worse, it’s illegal to transfer a branded title or a vehicle with outstanding loans/liens on it. Vehicle History Report offers flexible pricing options to meet all dealer needs, to protect you and your customers.

For instance, let’s say you spend a lot of time at car auctions, trying to find the very best deals for you and your customers. Using the Vehicle History Report website, you can run a VIN check and get the report instantly. You can control what you see or don’t on your report (e.g. turning off market value or recalls.)

Reports can be run for as little as $3.00 per, and allow for hundreds of searches. A batch reporting option is also available, which allows searching 100 VINs at the same time.

The dealer option offered on the site also allows filtering, so you can ignore information not pertinent to the task at hand, such as market value information which is listed on the vehicle’s windshield. Best, everything is pay-as-you go. You’re never locked into a contract. Buy credits, use them, and get more when needed.

Buying a used car at a car dealership

Conclusion

Vehicle History Report is a must for all people looking to buy used vehicles. While it would be nice to trust everyone; having data to back up that trust makes the car buying experience way less stressful.