Most car buyers know that before you buy a used car from someone you don’t know, it’s important to get an auto history check in order to make a fully informed purchase. What most people don’t know is that it is equally important to obtain a report when buying from a used vehicle dealer. Car dealerships are no more required to disclose the full history of a vehicle than are individuals selling their castoffs.
It’s up to the consumer to take on the responsibility and check VIN history reports for any car he or she is interested in purchasing. By ignoring the importance of this report, consumers take unnecessary risks with their wallets, their time, and their safety.
Risks to Your Wallet
By failing to run an auto history check on any used car you are considering, you risk purchasing a vehicle that is priced much higher than the true value of the car. For instance, it is easy to change the odometer on a car with the right tools; you may pay for a car that you think has only 25,000 miles on it, when in reality it has over 75,000. That fancy looking used car may also have lived its previous life as a rental car, driven by hundreds of people in a short amount of time. What could hit you in the pocket even more are the potential repairs you might need if the car is a lemon.
Risks to Your Time
An auto history check can also reveal whether that used car has received its appropriate share of service and maintenance. Some people care for their cars better than others, and often problems can arise if a car has not been properly cared for. This will cost you time as you make repairs you might not know about if your decided to forgo the proper research. Your vehicle history report will let you know if you stand to invest more time in the mechanic’s shop than in the driver’s seat after buying that used car right off the lot.
Risks to Your Safety
Most importantly, an auto history check will let you know how safe your new vehicle actually is. Vehicle history reports will uncover any hidden accidents in your car’s past that may have impacted or negated safety features. Collisions or flood or fire damage can greatly affect the structural integrity of your vehicle, and these effects can be hard to detect even with a full diagnostic. If a vehicle has sustained even minor damage, various safety measures designed to keep you and your family safe may no longer perform at their highest levels. Something as small as airbag deployment can easily be overlooked by a car reseller, but that can mean a huge difference for a consumer investing in a used family car.
These are just a few risks of forgoing a full car history check. There’s no reason to take these chances when getting a report is as easy as going online, entering some info and pressing a button.
Why take the risk? If you’re in the market for a vehicle get an Auto History Check and find out if that used car is worth buying!
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