What Can Buyers Learn From a Vehicle’s VIN?

A vehicle's VIN may just seem like a long stream of numbers and letters to many but it can tell you so much about a vehicle! VINs are critical in the process of buying a used car, this number is used to convey vital information like model, year, manufacturer, and the complete vehicle history including any reported damage, owner transfers,  or maintenance. 

When purchasing with Park Marina Motors, each vehicle's VIN is run through our Carfax feature which is free to all our customers,  to provide a very transparent history of every vehicle on our lot. This information can be found on our website under each vehicle’s details section. By clicking on the View  CARFAX Report link you will find the following information:

• Any Damage reported, descriptions of any damage, and whether that damage was deemed minor, moderate, or severe 

• Locations of vehicle transfer - in what states the vehicle has been issued title, or sold

• Service history - Auto technicians use the VIN to verify the vehicle’s they’re working on to ensure they are following a manufacturer’s maintenance procedures and using the correct parts. This service history will tell you where the vehicle was maintained and what type of maintenance or repairs were completed including whether the vehicle had regular oil changes which has a large impact on the vehicle's performance 

• Recalls - CARFAX will report any reported recalls and whether those recalls and whether those recalls have available remedies

All in all, a vehicle’s VIN is a gateway into it’s history. This is typically not provided in a private sale, all the more reason to come to Park Marina Motors to purchase your next vehicle!