It is advisable for you to obtain a vehicle history report before you buy a used car. This report will give you information that will enable you to make an informed decision about the suitability of that car for your needs. This article discusses some of the crucial information that inexperienced used car buyers can get from a vehicle history report.

Previous Registration Status

The car history report will give you all the information about the previous registration status of the car which you wish to buy. For example, the report will show you if that particular vehicle had been registered as a taxi or if it was leased before being put on the used car market.

The previous registration status can provide a pointer about how much abuse or care the vehicle received from its previous owner. For instance, leased vehicles tend to be maintained well because those leasing them want to avoid paying huge surcharges at the end of the lease. This may be in contrast to cars that are owned by car hire companies. The people who hire those cars may not be very careful with them since they will return them to the rental company in a few days. Buy a used car whose previous registration status gives you some assurance that the car was well maintained and handled.

Previous Owner Count

You will also be in a position to know how many people have so far owned that used car which is on sale. Buy a car that has had few previous owners. Cars that have had many previous owners may have more issues since each owner may have their own set of weaknesses. For example, one previous owner may have skimped on replacement parts and bought only used parts that may wear out sooner rather than later.

Mileage Validation

You may have heard about some people who can tamper with the odometer reading on a vehicle to sell it at a higher price if buyers see it as a car that has been driven for fewer miles. The best way to be certain that no such thing has happened to that particular car is by reading the vehicle history report. The odometer reading that you see in the car can be compared to what is captured in the vehicle history report. Only buy the car if the mileage readings don't raise any question marks.

Obtaining a vehicle history report should not be a substitute for having an inspection done. Only buy a used car when an independent mechanic has checked it and found no significant issues.

Look at different used cars at a dealership like Blue Ribbon Motors.