How to check the history of a used car: 9 important nuances

What information is needed for verification

The main keeper of the car's biography is the VIN. This is a unique identification code of 17 characters, which is assigned to the car once and for its entire life. The license plate number or body number is also useful for checking. Using this information, you will be able to find out various facts about the car in open sources, in particular on the websites of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate, the Federal Notary Chamber and the Federal Bailiff Service. But not all the information is there. Let’s say it won’t be possible to find out whether the car was involved in a minor accident. In addition, you will have to collect data bit by bit - you can get confused or miss something important.

It will be easier and more efficient to contact a specialized service to check the history of used vehicles. For example, "Auto.ru reports» collect information from more than 150 sources, mostly closed. One report costs about 200 rubles. You can buy it from the advertisement of a specific car or after you enter the VIN, license plate number or body number in the search bar. If you like several cars at once, there is a “Report Package” option - it will be up to 55% cheaper. A couple of minutes after payment, the data will be sent by email, and the online version will be saved in your Avto.ru personal account.

Now it’s more profitable to order a check of the car you like: using a promotional code lifehacker A 10% discount is provided for one report. You can activate the promotional code until the end of the year.

Check the car

What can you learn about the car from Auto.ru Reports?

1. Number of owners

If a vehicle changes owners like gloves, there is a chance that something is wrong with it. Perhaps it is not the most convenient to use or requires high maintenance costs. But even if the reasons for the constant resale are different, the long list of owners means the car has a complicated history. With some nasty secrets.

For example, everyone’s character and driving style are different: the last owner could use the car very carefully and only for trips to work or kindergarten, and the previous one traveled halfway around the world and more than once ended up in Road accident. The problem is that you can only find out such details from the current seller, and the life of the car with all its past owners will remain a mystery.

However, it is not necessary to immediately abandon this option. «Auto.ru reports» collect information about all former owners and their actions with the car. Technical inspections, accidents, repairs, purchase of insurance policies - everything is located in chronological order on the “Operation History” timeline.

2. Restrictions and encumbrances

Used cars may have registration restrictions. You won’t be able to safely use the car without it: at least available an administrative fine, or, at a maximum, the loss of a vehicle. For example, if the restrictions are related to the fact that the transport was left as collateral to the bank.

A similar problem arises if the previous owner was heavily in debt on loans. A foreclosure order could have been issued for the car - you will probably have to go to court to prove that you have nothing to do with the delays.

«Auto.ru reports» they check the car using the traffic police databases and the register of pledge notifications, and then collect all the information about restrictions and encumbrances in the “Legal Purity” section. If something is highlighted with a red exclamation point, it’s better not to take risks.

3. Participation in road accidents, even the smallest ones

Through the traffic police website you will only be able to find out about incidents that were recorded by traffic inspectors. From July 2023 the service "Auto.ru reports"shows all road accidents, including those that ended with the European protocol. In addition to the date and description, the summary will contain schematic images of the “injuries” of the vehicle you are interested in and information about other participants in the accident. And is it important! It happens that on one car there is only a slight dent, but on the second the hood has turned into an accordion. A collision of such force may indicate hidden damage that will affect the operation of the vehicle and require additional repairs in the future.

“Avto.ru” in its reports indicates all payments for comprehensive insurance and compulsory motor liability insurance that former owners received, and estimates of the cost of repairs by insurance companies. And also information about whether the machine has been certified by the manufacturer: these often have an extended warranty and special service conditions.

4. Damage (including those already repaired!)

Scratches, dents and layers of paint can be either a matter of aesthetics or signs of more serious problems. Perhaps the former owner simply drove unsuccessfully along the curb or caught the fence at the dacha. Or maybe he got into an accident, after which he restored his appearance, but did not deal with the deeper problems.

IN "Auto.ru reports» all repairs to the vehicle are described in detail: when and what parts were replaced, what work was carried out and which car service performed the repairs. There are also technical inspections in the summary. Plus, there are photographs of the car that have appeared on the RuNet: perhaps among them there will be footage of damage.

5. Incidents abroad

A car purchased in Japan or Belarus and transported to Russia is not uncommon. And usually there is nothing wrong with such origin of transport. With one exception: if the car was brought from a foreign salvage auction, where wrecked cars are put up. Sometimes - just soft-boiled!

It is possible to check this fact from the history of transport through “Auto.ru Reports”. The service began receiving data from foreign emergency auctions this August. If the car is highlighted in them, you will see not only the date of sale, but also photographs - you will be able to assess how badly it was damaged in the past. By the way, information from Russian auctions will also be included in the report. “Reports from Avto.ru” also contains information about customs clearance of the car - you will be able to find out where and when it was brought to Russia.

Find out more

6. Being hijacked

Buying such a pig in a poke will be extremely unpleasant - during registration with the traffic police, the car will simply be confiscated. Of course, the money for it will not be returned. And in the worst case scenario, the new owner may be made a defendant in a criminal case.

To avoid accidental connections with crime, take a look at the “Legal Purity” section of the Avto.ru Reports service. If you see the inscription “The car may be wanted” there, look for another option.

7. Commercial use

The degree of wear and tear of a car that was driven to the office and one that was used in a taxi will be different. And it is not a fact that the seller will honestly tell you for what purposes he used the vehicle. «Auto.ru reports"will show this information without conversations. You need to look for it in the “Commercial Use” section. There you will be able to see not only the experience of serving in taxis and car sharing, but also the history of being in leasing. And long-term rent is also a test for the contents of a vehicle.

By the way, “Auto.ru Reports” will highlight the tuning installed on the car and the characteristics of the model so that you can evaluate how comfortable it will be in operation.

8. Veracity of mileage

Kilometers traveled are an important indicator of the condition of the car. If the seller knocked down tens or two thousand, there is a risk of facing unexpected expenses. For example, replacing a worn-out engine or other parts whose service life depends on mileage.

You can verify the reliability of the indicators using some loopholes. First, check the age and numbers on the device: if in 10 years the car has covered only 1,300–1,500 kilometers, this is suspicious. Then examine how worn the interior is: a car with low mileage is unlikely to have scuffs on the driver's seat. Also, pay attention to the dashboard - scratches, chips and other mechanical damage may indicate that someone manually underestimated the numbers.

WITH "Auto.ru reports» You can check your mileage according to a special schedule. It reflects changes in mileage over the entire life of the vehicle. The mileage is divided into periods by owner: if the meters were tampered with, it will be easy to understand who exactly did it.

9. Unpaid fines

Paying for other people's recklessness is a dubious pleasure. Therefore, it is imperative to check whether the car has fines for speeding, parking in the wrong place and other violations. «Auto.ru reports» will highlight all unpaid amounts: the online version of the summary is regularly updated - you will receive the latest data at the time of purchase.

At the end, Auto.ru Reports will give the car an overall assessment and compare its condition with other similar models on the secondary market. This will help you understand whether it is worth the purchase or whether it is better to take a closer look at other options. You can also see the dynamics of prices for such cars and the amount of transport tax that will need to be paid annually.

Study the history of the car