Here is a list of information that is not included on a vehicle history report:

- The previous owner’s name(s)
- According to the 1994 Drivers Privacy Protection Act, vehicle history reports are prohibited from including such information.

- Lien release information is not generally included in a Vehicle history report.

- Data and information regarding pre-1981 vehicles
- Since, the standard of manufacturing cars with VINs was not legalized until 1981, adequate information is not available on models produced before that time.

When it comes to buying a used car, naiveté may cost you headaches and expenses. Fortunately, VIN decoders will paint a more accurate depiction of a vehicle’s history. Car buying Web sites feature VIN decoders.

Arm yourself and protect your purchase by employing an eye-opening used car shopping tool, a VIN Decoder.

- Title information
- Title transfers and checks
- Was the car salvaged?
- Has the odometer been turned back?
- Was the car in a major accident?
- Has the car experienced any significant mechanical problems
- Was the vehicle ever flooded or rebuilt?
- Has the vehicle been involved in any fraud?
- Has the car been damaged by fire or ever stolen
- How was the car used or procured in the past
(leased, rented, driven as a taxi or police vehicle)

– Defend against consumer fraud and theft

– Assure accurate information regarding a vehicle’s history

– Identify any glitches in the vehicle’s title

When used cars are certified, the VIN is verified against a Motor Vehicle Records (MVR) database.

Since VIN records are centralized, it is simple for any person to access the records of a prospective used car. As a result, conducting a VIN number searc is essential to making the right car buy.

Running a VIN search with a guarantee policy may work as the affordable alternative to a Certified Pre-owned (CPO) vehicle program.

Did you know that the letters I, O and Q will never be found on a Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs)? Subsequent to 1981, VINs were added to all cars. The VIN number can provide valuable information pertaining to a car’s history.

Here are three places to locate the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN):

- Dashboards

- Driver’s side door on jamb stickers

- Title documents

- The first character- identifies the country where car was manufactured.

- The second character refers to the manufacturer. For example: eight stands for vehicles manufactured by Saturn.

- Third character refers to the type of vehicle type the manufacturing sect.

- The fourth and eighth characters identify the car’s features (including the body style, model, features and so forth).

- Ninth character reveals the vehicle identification number’s accuracy as a check digit.

- The tenth character refers to the car’s model year. For instance, ‘Y” represents the year 2000.

- An eleventh character symbolizes the assembly plant of the vehicle.

- The twelfth and seventeenth characters- refer to the sequence of the automobile’s production order when it rolled off the manufacturer’s assembly line.

You can check a list of VINs that have been associated with flood damage, odometer fraud, and other problems. If you want to get the full report, you’ll have to pay a fee of around $20 or so.

Let’s say you are considering buying a Honda Civic for your soon-to-be high school grad to use to commute to school. The car looks sound and drives well, but the car history report indicates it was in an accident the year before. You can use this information to negotiate a lower price with the seller or you can walk away from the deal.

*Be careful, a seller who doesn’t disclose that a car has been involved in an accident may be keeping other important information from you as well.

• Whether it has ever been in a flood or had its engine rebuilt

• Whether the odometer has been tampered with

• Whether the car is stolen

• If the car was ever registered by a rental agency, police force, or taxi service

All of these factors would have major implications in terms of the wear and tear that was placed on the vehicle before you took ownership.

Normally, it’s the buyer who logs on to sites such as Carfax.com or Autocheck.com to investigate a potential purchase. Save them the time and money, and do the legwork yourself. Simply enter your car’s vehicle identification number (VIN) and pay the report fee. You will then be able to view and print the report.

*Some sites allow you to e-mail the report to yourself or view the report multiple times within a certain timeframe. That way you can print multiple copies at your convenience to give to the buyer.

While VMR itself does not offer car history reports, it does link to Carfax, a reputable online vehicle history reporting company. You can purchase a single vehicle history report or subscribe for a fixed block of time and have unlimited access to the Carfax database throughout your car shopping process.

*Some car history report services claim to offer free vehicle history reports, however, most only offer a fraction of the information available on the car and require payment to gain access to the full report.

If possible, get the car checked out by a reliable mechanic of your choosing. At the very least, get the vehicle identification number (VIN) and check it against an online car history service such as Carfax. The VIN is usually located on a small metal plate affixed to the dashboard on the driver’s side near the windshield.

The VIN is to a car what a social security number is to a person. It allows all transactions relevant to the car to be tracked (including the names of owners, dates of sales, and whether the vehicle has ever been registered as a salvage vehicle—one that has been in a major accident).

The VIN is listed on the car’s registration paperwork. It is also located on a small metal plate attached to the dashboard. Look for it on the driver’s side where the dashboard meets the windshield.

The Toyota Corolla and the Toyota Camry cars said to hold value exceptionally well because these cars are known to be ultra-reliable and easy and affordable to maintain. They are very sought after by used car buyers.

Older car models may not have things such as airbags, which have proven to decrease mortality rates in vehicles equipped with them. Try to find a car that at least has some basic safety features and equipment (including antilock brakes (ABS), front air bags, and, if you will be using a child safety seat, child-seat attachments known as LATCH).

“Considering all the factors (price, performance, reliability, comfort, enjoyment, etc.) would you get this car if you had it to do all over again?”

Toyota or its Lexus brand took seven of the top 12 spots on the most satisfying models list for model year 2002. The only domestic car to make the list for model year 2002 was the Chevrolet Corvette. Toyota also took top honors in the five-year-old category accounting for seven out of the top 11 spots for most satisfying cars for the 2000 model year.

Owner satisfaction isn’t necessarily correlated to car reliability. Satisfaction, after all, is an elusive concept that has as much to do with emotion as logic!

If you have considered buying a used car but are afraid you may be buying another owner’s problems, buying a previously leased car that has been certified by the dealer is a safe bet to ensure peace of mind that the car is reliable.

A good resource for information on used car reliability is Consumer Reports. Consumer Reports is a division of Consumers Union of U.S., Inc., a nonprofit, independent organization that has for nearly 60 years been an unbiased source of consumer information and advice on products, services, health, and personal finance. The organization publishes the Consumer Reports Used Car Buying Guide.

You can find the same information that is published in the guide on the Consumer Reports Web site. Some information is free, but you have to pay a monthly or annual subscription fee to access the meatiest reviews.

Frequently, an inventory reduction used car sale will follow on the heels of the new car sale so the dealer can keep the inventory on the lot moving. If you’re in the market for a reliable used car, this is the time to strike for the best deal.

• Honda Civic EX
• Subaru Impreza
• Toyota Corolla

To read the complete list, pick up a copy of Consumer Reports annual used car buying guide.

Published by the National Highway Transporations Safety Authority, the guide covers what to look for on the test drive, warning signs of hidden damage, and how to verify the car’s history. You can also order a hard copy of the report for $1.00.

The book also includes a list of what Consumer Reports calls “repeat offenders.” Repeat offenders are cars that have proven to be much worse in overall reliability year after year. In other words, they should be wearing a sign that says, “Lemon.” Save yourself some grief and check the list at your local library or at a bookstore before you shop.

While an engine that burns excess oil usually needs costly repairs, ignoring the problem will only prove more costly later on. In other words, get it checked out sooner rather than later.

*If you are buying a used car and you see blue smoke coming from the tailpipe, consider it a “smoke signal” that you should walk away.

There is generally high demand for cars that hold their value, which means you’ll get a better trade-in allowance or private sales price when you do decide to upgrade.

• Clean the interior of your car of all garbage and dirt

• Wash down all vinyl or leather and wood surfaces.

• Vacuum the floors and seats

• Organize your glove box

• Wash and wax the car’s exterior well

• Make sure the tires are properly inflated

• Make sure that all lamps are fully functioning

If you have the time and wherewithal to sell your car yourself, you’re better off doing that than trading it in. However, trading your car in does have its advantages. Chief among them is that you can handle all your car deal transactions in one fell swoop and be done with it.

*With today’s busy lifestyles, the inherent loss in value with trade-ins may actually prove a valuable trade-off!

Your salesperson looks at your transaction on a global basis. The more you get for your trade in, the less give there will be in the new car price. Experts agree that you should complete the new car price negotiation first, and then discuss trade in value. And, of course, before having either of these talks with your dealer, arm yourself with as much information as you can.

In addition to used car prices, the online version also provides new car pricing information as well as a countless resources and calculators to aid you in your car shopping experience.

Let’s say you can afford to spend $8,000-$10,000 on a used car. In that price range, Consumer Reports recommends 15 brands and nearly 50 models. All cars on the list are considered to be the most reliable used cars in that price range.

*The price range represents what you’d be likely to pay for a typically equipped car with reasonable mileage.