Guides
Plain-language reading on VINs, title brands, odometer fraud and buying a car from auction or import. Written to be read before you go and see the car.
All guides
Odometer rollback: how to detect it
Why digital odometers made fraud easier, the telltale patterns in the mileage history, and the physical checks that back them up.
How to check a VIN before buying a used car
A step-by-step checklist - find and verify the VIN, run the history, and match the records against the car and the seller's story.
How to read a vehicle history report
Which sections matter most, what an amber flag means, and the three things to check before you call the seller.
Title brands explained: salvage, rebuilt, flood, lemon
What each brand means for safety, insurance and resale - and the total-loss threshold each state publishes, with the statute for every row.
Buying a car imported from the US or Canada: what the VIN tells you
How to read the first three characters, find the US auction history and spot a car that was written off before export.
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