A VIN check which in some areas is called a VIN lookup according to carVertical, stands for Vehicle Identification Number. It usually consists of 17 numerals or characters stamped on the chassis of individual motor vehicles and trailers.
This VIN pin is an extremely important part of every vehicle’s background and sales potential. Using the VIN, a consumer can find out the previous history of the vehicle and then decide if the price being offered is equitable. Police, of course, use VIN lookups all the time to trace stolen vehicles and to report vehicles that are involved in accidents and crimes.
To put it another way, the VIN check is like a car or truck’s passport or ID card — it identifies each vehicle as a unique and legitimate entity.
Specifically, the VIN can tell those who know the code (such as police and car dealers) the vehicles main features, the make and model, and many technical specifications for that particular brand of car or truck (or trailer.) It tells the year of manufacture and indicates what part of the United States the vehicle was made in. That’s why the VIN is so important to know when reporting a stolen vehicle — once the VIN is entered into the police database it can be tracked down much easier than if it is unknown. So always make sure you keep the VIN of your vehicle in a second, separate place from your car or truck. Likewise, when you look at a car to buy, especially a used car, you can get a lot of history about the vehicle, such as who the previous owners were and whether or not the vehicle was ever involved in a major accident or was ever underwater.
Police and car experts say that the VIN is a better indicator of a car’s condition than the odometer reading.
A good VIN lookup can help you detect any fraud associated with the vehicle you are considering purchasing. So before you commit yourself to any payment plans, make sure you’ve done due diligence by getting the VIN and doing the research yourself. Don’t rely on anyone else to do it for you. Get it first hand. You’ll be glad you did.
