When you are in the market for a used vehicle, a website to check VIN numbers for free can be your best friend. These services provide ample information about a vehicle’s history by simply entering the vehicle identification number (VIN) of the car, truck or motorcycle in question. There are many VIN number check websites to choose from today, but not all are created equal in terms of their cost, accuracy or information they provide. Before you begin the quest for your next used vehicle, it is important to find the best VIN number check website for your needs.
Free Website to Check VIN Numbers?
All too often, someone spots a car parked near a busy street with a “for sale” sign hanging in the window and rushes in to buy it. Long term, however, they may not find that to be the most expedient way of buying a car from a private seller. You never want to jump on the first car that you see, but rather do some research as to the type of car that will best suit your needs. Create a short list of makes and models of interest, and then start your research from there.
Many shoppers of used cars begin by looking for a website to check VIN numbers for free. After all, they don’t want to invest a significant portion of their car budget in research, right? For those in search of a free VIN check website, there are two very good options to choose from.
The Department of Motor Vehicle will run a title history on a vehicle free of charge. This report will let you know how many owners a vehicle has had, which can provide key information about whether the car has been properly maintained. As a general rule, more owners can indicate less maintenance work has been done. (Another hint – multiple owners could suggest a nagging noise or problem with the vehicle that no one has been able to satisfactorily fix.)
Another option for a free VIN check website is the National Insurance Crime Bureau. This agency will provide a free VIN lookup that shows if a vehicle has ever been reported stolen. While this is good information to know, it’s not going to give you a full picture of the vehicle’s history. Even the DMV report, which offers even more information, cannot tell you everything you need to know to purchase a used vehicle with complete confidence.
Choose the Best VIN Check Website
If you want more than the free search options can tell you, you will probably have to shell out a few bucks to get the information you need. The good news is there are many options in a cheap VIN check website that will provide you with plenty of valuable facts about a vehicle without costing you an arm and a leg.
AutoCheck.com
This website is the one used by both KBB.com (Kelley Blue Book) and NadaGuides.com (National Automobile Dealers Association). The company is the leading vehicle history reporting service for Experian, a well-known provider of consumer credit reports. In addition to a vehicle history, AutoCheck.com offers a vehicle score that compares a particular vehicle to cars of similar makes and models.
CarFax.com
CarFax.com is another well-known site for pulling vehicle history reports. This company provides free carfax reports on all makes and models dating 1981 and later. CarFax.com pulls information from 34,000 sources, including police and fire departments, auto auction houses and rental agencies. The company also provides Hot Listings, which are vehicles eligible for the CarFax.com buyback guarantee, as well as Safety and Reliability Ratings.
Edmunds.com
Edmunds.com is another company known for helping car shoppers find the right car at a fair price. In addition to the wealth of services offered to buyers and sellers alike on this website, Edmunds.com also offers low-cost VIN lookups for potential buyers of used vehicles. However, the website uses AutoCheck.com for vehicle histories, even though other information comes directly from the Edmunds staff.
DMV.org
This website is another that offers a wealth of information on how to read vehicle histories and use them to your advantage when shopping for a used car. In addition to providing information on car histories, DMV.org also provides information on RV and motorcycle reports. If you decide to run a report through this website, you will be rerouted to AutoCheck.com.
There are other VIN check websites available, and some will offer similar information to what is found on these major websites. However, it is important to shop around for the best VIN number check website to be sure you get as much information as possible for your money. It is also important to check the sources of the information you are provided to ensure the facts are as accurate and up-to-date as possible.
A VIN check is essential for peace-of-mind and confidence in navigating the used car market today. When you begin comparing the various companies that offer this service, you will discover there is a VIN check website difference between sites the deliver the information you need and those that may fall short.
