For many years, buying a used car was just a shot in the dark. You could kick a few tires, look at the engine, take a test drive and hope for the best. Today there is a much better way to buy a car and that is by looking at the car history to see what repairs have been done to the car.

A car history is a tool that can let you know in a factual way the specific repairs that have been done on a vehicle. Since the odometer reading is reported with each repair, you can easily spot any rollbacks on the odometer. In addition, any body repairs will be noted on the report, so you can know if the car has been in an accident.

While it is possible to get some of the reports free, if you are investing in a more expensive vehicle, the thirty to fifty dollars extra for the report with more detail may save you a trip to the mechanic which could cost hundreds of dollars.

After finding a vehicle that you are interested in purchasing, you will want to test drive the car. Then you will need to get a car history report. Many used vehicle dealerships will provide the report to you, but you can also order one from your home computer. You are looking for a report that is no older than one to two days.

To order the report you will need the VIN number to request a history of the vehicle. This number can be found on the dash or the driver’s side door panel. The car history will let you know how many owners the vehicle has had and how long they have owned the car. If you see the word lease or fleet on the report, it may have been part of a motor pool and not have had the best of care taken when driven.

You will also want to look for flood damage. There were many cars that were flooded a few years ago in Hurricane Katrina that were shipped from of Louisiana to be sold to the rest of the states. Car history reports will let you know if the car has had flood damage.

You should not trust a car history that is offered by the car dealer, but should order your own copy. It is possible that the dealer has doctored the report that he gives you and you will never know unless you get your own report. Verify that the VIN number of the vehicle matches the VIN number that is printed on the report. Do not use titles or registration numbers, but the actual number you have copied from the vehicle.

In addition to the car history, it is important to check with the National Insurance Crime Bureau. They will check the VIN number at no charge to ensure that the vehicle has not been reported stolen.

By using a car history, you have a much better chance of getting a vehicle that will serve you well. You will at least know of any major damage that may have occurred before you bought the vehicle.

Buying used car? This is not the only kind of car history – you can also find out lots about car history and the timeline of the cars on Mick site dedicated to old and modern cars.

For information on Auto Shipping visit MetroGistics.

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