When selling a vehicle, don't let a stranger take it for
a test drive alone. If a prospective buyer wants to take the car to a
mechanic for an appraisal, volunteer to deliver and pick up the car to
a known mechanic shop. When buying a used car, be certain that the seller's
name and address are verified, and be sure that the VIN on the registration
is the same as the one on the car. Also make sure there is not a lien
(loan) on the vehicle.
Decoding VIN Numbers
Do a free "VIN Check" or learn
more about VIN decoding below.
The Vehicle Identification Number is not just a string of random letters
and numbers with a serial identification on the end. Stored within the
vin number is most of the history of a car, the model and body style,
when and where it was built.
Vin number decoding has become an
art and varies from make and model over the years, ever since the early
mass produced cars come off the assembly line. There is not an all inclusive
VIN decoding database, as of yet, due to the many types of autos that
have been produced over the years. You can search for your own particular
model of car on the internet and can usually find a web page decoding
the vin for that particular make and model.
