Getting a vehicle history report can be one of the most essential actions in the used car buying process. Why? Because it is the exclusive way to obtain the entire history of the vehicle, including any severe problems that might not be obvious upon inspecting or even test-driving the vehicle. The vehicle history report also referred to as the VIN search or VIN check, is a comprehensive record of an automobile, from the time it was first registered up till the latest ownership transfer. These REV reports provide a lot of critical information such as odometer readings, DMV transactions, ownership transfers and registration data.

However, the essential part of the vehicle history report is the section on serious problems that the car has had in the past. This will include any significant issue that was reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles, such as accident damage, odometer rollback, police use, robbery, fire, hail and water destruction, persistent mechanical problems and others. Many sellers will not want to disclose this information for obvious reasons, while other sellers may not even be aware of these problems if the vehicle has changed hands numerous times. That is why it is essential that you get a vehicle history report before you decide to purchase any used car, whether it's through a dealer, a neighbor or a friend. It's a small price to pay to avoid a questionable used vehicle.

Are you questioning how to procure a vehicle history report? It's quite a natural process. Every car has a unique Vehicle Identification Number, seldom called a VIN Number or VIN for short. It is like an automobile's fingerprint and is a 17-character alphanumeric string that distinguishes that particular car. The VIN can be located on the insurance card, the driver's side dashboard, the title or registration or the driver's side door post. While you are out and about shopping for used cars, make sure you write down the 17-character VIN Number for each vehicle you encounter. Then you can go online to a Revs Check  website, and with a very nominal fee learn a wide variety of details and information about the vehicle you were considering to purchase such as its registration info, stolen status records, vehicle details, and finance check.

The unique VIN you enter will be checked against a database of millions of DMV records to reveal all of the available histories on that particular car. In addition to necessary vehicle information, the vehicle history reports will explain any problems that you should be aware of. So next time you are in the market for a used car, get a vehicle history report before you make the final decision. For the cost of a couple of movie tickets you might be avoiding thousands of dollars in future mechanical problems, sn't that worth it for your peace of mind?