Buying a Used Car: How to Tell if It’s Been Wrecked
While you can save tons of money purchasing a used car, it's still a scary proposition. Every year we hear stories about people purchasing used cars that have actually been in major collisions. To be honest, it's easy for auto rebuilders to fix these vehicles up and put them back into the circulation. Unfortunately, we're the ones that have to deal with the long term issues.
In many cases, when a vehicle has been totaled so that the cost to fix it is greater than its value, an insurance company will declare the vehicle a total loss. The owner is typically paid a sum equal to the pre-collision value of the car, and the car may be sold at a salvage auction. In other cases, the owner may be able to keep the totaled vehicle. In either case, there are unscrupulous car owners (whether they purchased the vehicle at auction or are the original owner) who quickly patch up these vehicles and try to turn a profit on them by selling them at full price.
Even if a car looks new and well kept, you might be surprised to learn that it may have sustained major damage. The title to a vehicle will not always reflect this fact. Here are some things that you can do to keep yourself from being taken for a ride when it comes to buying a used car:
1. Check the title of the vehicle. Not every salvaged vehicle will have a notation on the title; in some cases band-aid repairs are done on the sly without a report being issued. But the title is the first place to check. If you see phrases like "scrap," "parts only," "unsalvageable," or "un-rebuildable" then you are dealing with a vehicle that's been involved in a major accident.
You can check the vehicle's title by utilizing the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS). This database lets you enter a VIN number to instantaneously check the title and odometer reading of an automobile and find out whether it was ever declared a total loss or reported stolen. This government service is available in most states, and more states are continually adding this service. You can visit the NMVTIS website at nmvtis.gov.
Have Someone Inspect It- Okay, so we don't want you to have your next door neighbor come out and inspect it. However, if they are certified in collision repair then they would be a wise choice. They'll be able to identify the signs of a previously wrecked vehicle.
3. Ask the seller outright whether the vehicle has ever been in an accident. There are no guarantees that the seller will be truthful, but this way you can avoid a lie by omission. Some people won't offer the information, but will be truthful if you ask.
4. Get a vehicle history report. Two of the most popular services for this purpose are Carfax and AutoCheck. These types of reports can clue you in to important red flags about a vehicle's past. You should, however, be aware that a clean report is no guarantee that a vehicle has never been wrecked. Still, this provides another important piece of information, since there are many problems that are never reported to state licensing agencies.
When it comes to checking out a used car's past, be thorough in researching the vehicle's history before you make a purchase. Document your research and keep a record of your conversations with the prior owner to protect yourself in case you find out later that you've been sold a previously wrecked vehicle.
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