When purchasing a used vehicle, the potential new owner wants to know everything about it. This includes the service history of the car at service centers and inspection stations. This information allows understanding:

  1. How timely and to what extent technical maintenance was performed. As a result, it is possible to forecast the condition of individual units and assemblies, the functionality of which cannot be determined by visual inspection alone. We are talking about the power unit, transmission, suspension, etc.
  2. How the previous owner treated their car. If maintenance was delayed or carried out at random stations and in incomplete volume, then one can speak of the owner's irresponsibility. Is it worth buying a car in such a case? In what condition will it be overall and in individual units in particular? In general, everything needs to be carefully considered. Additionally, this can be a basis for negotiation.

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Thus, this information is very useful and important. However, to find out the service history of a car, it is necessary to consider possible options - from free to paid ones. All of them have their pros and cons and will be useful in the practical part of research my car service history. We will talk about them below.

Conversation with the owner

Even before finding out the check car service history online for free or even for a fee on third-party online services, as well as in official authorities like the DMV (although there is only information about accidents in the databases - and even then, not always), it makes sense to thoroughly talk to the owner. Often, this alone is enough to either reject the purchase or, conversely, take a closer look at the offer.

If a person does not remember, does not know where this very service center is located, what kind of work is carried out there, then, obviously, there is no need to talk about attentive and responsible attitude towards the car. Most likely, they just didn't pay attention to it.

If a car enthusiast's eyes light up when talking about cars, and they enthusiastically recount what has been changed or repaired, as well as the strengths and weaknesses, then dealing with such a seller is worth it.

In general, talking to the owner is an option that does not require financial investment, extensive time, or serious psychological preparation to assess a person's behavior, and the result can be much more informative than reports from many specialized services, presented in all their variety on the Internet.

Service Book

In fact, this is a very important document for both the seller and the buyer. You can check the car's service history quite easily and quickly through it. The service book displays two types of information:

  1. What was done as part of scheduled maintenance. This could include oil changes, belt and timing chain replacements, and other consumables. At the same time, not only the volume of work performed and the date of the service are documented, but also the mileage at the time of service. This is a crucial point. Firstly, it becomes much more difficult to tamper with the instrument readings. Not in a technical sense, but simply the point of this action is lost. For example, if it is recorded that the service was performed at 150,000 kilometers, and you are offered a car with 130,000, then one can confidently talk about fraud. Secondly, potential buyers can easily track the timeliness of visits to the service center. This indicates the attitude towards the vehicle as a whole.
  2. What was done as part of repair work. These could be factory defects (the so-called factory defect) or those acquired as a result of improper operation. Here, everything falls into place in terms of car assembly quality and the owner's driving style.

The problem is that the service book is not always issued together with new equipment, although it should be according to all rules. Some car owners start it themselves. With timely maintenance and no serious repairs, this helps sell the car at a more advantageous price.

On the other hand, even if it is available, it is not certain that the document will be shown to you, so do not forget that there is also a check vehicle service history by vin.

By the way, today the use of not only paper service books, but also their electronic counterparts is practiced. For this reason, you can try to obtain information electronically through service centers. Usually, they are specialized by car brands, and their number is limited.

How to check car maintenance history by vin

In the modern reality of widespread information technology and particularly the Internet, obtaining a car's service history by VIN code has become a common and even somewhat mundane task. The "world wide web" offers a vast number of various services like CARSUA, AUTOMOLI, and so on. We cannot fail to mention the service Vincleaning, which provides a comprehensive report on the vehicle's history.
Some of these services are free, while others require minimal payment. They all have their own features and scope. In principle, it is possible and sometimes necessary to use all of them (those that are readily available) to obtain maximum information.

Among the undeniable advantages of such checks, it is worth mentioning the following points:

  1. Quick and fairly comprehensive information retrieval. Typically, these portals work with many information providers, have access to databases not only from domestic but also foreign organizations.
  2. Minimal cost or completely free format. The latter option is relevant for platforms where the service history by vin free is not the main source of income but is used more to attract new visitors.
  3. Objective information, as those who gather information are individuals completely uninterested in selling the car.

The option with the license plate number

As mentioned earlier, at the DMV (or through their database), you can obtain quite a bit of information, but not directly about technical maintenance. However, here you can find information about accidents, their severity, and consequences. This can be used later in conversation with the owner or in making other inquiries on this matter.

Read also: How to check a car without VIN code

In conclusion, it is worth noting that checking the service history of the purchased vehicle is an important process that needs to be approached with the utmost care and responsibility. In this case, it is possible to significantly reduce the risks of buying a "lemon."

Be vigilant, use a variety of sources of information, both paid and free, and you will surely find your perfect "iron horse."