How to Properly Check a US Car by VIN Number?

Car exports from the USA are well-established. Many North Americans, even with minor damage, prefer to sell their car and buy a new one using insurance payouts. In some cases, you can purchase an almost new car for significantly less than at a dealership.

Many car dealers selling used vehicles from the USA and Canada hide defects. And returning such a car across the ocean is virtually impossible.

How to protect yourself?

Check the vehicle history by VIN through Carfax or Autocheck services. They contain all key data: accidents, odometer readings, inspections, and even auction history. Just enter the VIN to get a full report before arranging delivery.

What is Carfax and why is it useful

Carfax is an official vehicle history report required for sales at American auctions. Without it, a car cannot be put up for bidding, so dealers and dealerships often purchase such a report in advance - this is considered a reliability standard in North America.

The Carfax report contains all key information about the vehicle. When checking before delivery from the USA, pay special attention to:

1. mileage
2. service history
3. number of owners
4. damage and recorded malfunctions

This data helps assess the real condition of the vehicle before purchase and transportation.

Carfax data sources

Information in the Carfax system comes from official sources: insurance companies, car manufacturers, transportation departments, service centers, law enforcement agencies, and car dealerships.

Having a Carfax report has become the standard for selling cars in North America. Many car owners themselves provide a ready Carfax report to potential buyers. In most cases, such data can be trusted, as the owner bears criminal liability for concealing information about their vehicle.

The Carfax database contains verified data on millions of vehicles from the USA and Europe. To get the full history, simply enter the 17-digit VIN code in the search field. This provides an objective basis for making a purchase decision: if you need an honest answer about the car's condition - Carfax will provide it.

How to start a Carfax check

To buy CarFax, go to the check page: https://westmotors.by/carfax

To order CarFax, you need to enter: your contact phone number, email (where the report will be sent), and the vehicle VIN.

Important: the check is paid, so enter the data carefully to avoid repeating the procedure.

After filling in the data, the system will redirect you to the payment page. The service cost is 19 BYN.

After payment, you will receive a detailed PDF report containing:

• Basic vehicle data: year, make, model, drivetrain and fuel type, body style, engine size.
• Number of owners, ownership type (company, individual)
• Model information: crash test data, safety reviews, warranty conditions, awards.
• Equipment details: standard wheels, audio system, and other elements. This helps identify replaced parts, which can be an indirect sign of serious incidents (e.g., flooding).

Owner information and ownership history

The report contains a brief summary of owners: their number, type (legal entity or individual), title status, mileage, and last known registration region.

This information helps reveal key facts about the vehicle's past. The report details for each owner:

1. Year of vehicle acquisition
2. Ownership period
3. Annual mileage
4. Owner type (legal entity/individual)
5. Region where the vehicle was registered
6. Commercial use (taxi, carsharing, rental)
7. State registration changes

Titles (condition marks)

This section indicates the category of technical and legal condition of the vehicle, which depends on its history: accident involvement, theft, general wear, and emission class.

In the USA, vehicles with the following title types are allowed for registration:

1. Clean / Clear Title — a vehicle without serious damage in the past
2. Rebuildable Title — a vehicle that was seriously damaged but can be restored
3. Salvage Title — a vehicle written off by the insurance company after an accident, marked as "problem found"

Vehicles without these marks are generally not registered and are subject to salvage or export.

Additional vehicle condition marks

Carfax reports use various marks to indicate vehicle condition.

Carfax marks explained

Below are the main marks and their meanings:

Carfax also checks information in the "Basic Warranty" section. The system analyzes the vehicle's production year and compares it with the current date to determine if the warranty period has expired. This allows the buyer to immediately understand if the manufacturer's official warranty is still valid on the car.

Detailed vehicle history

This section presents the complete chronology of the vehicle's life: exact dates of incidents, purchases, owner changes, and re-registrations in different states. This is a detailed "biography" of the car, arranged by dates, which helps clarify and detail any marks from previous sections of the report.

Carfax Glossary

Although the main terms were covered above, the Carfax glossary provides their official and complete definitions. This is especially important since some terms may have different meanings depending on context. The glossary helps accurately interpret each item in the report and avoid incorrect conclusions.

WESTMOTORS has been specializing in selecting and delivering cars from the USA "turnkey" for many years. We carefully select only the most reliable and technically sound vehicles.

Carfax report costs and ways to get them free

The official Carfax website has the following rates:

1. 1 report — $34.99 USD
2. 3 reports — $39.99 USD
3. 6 reports — $49.99 USD

However, you can also get a report for free. For example, if the seller or dealer, wanting to confirm the impeccable history of the car, independently requests a Carfax report and provides it to the buyer.

In addition, there are Carfax partner companies. Their clients can often get access to reports for free (as part of a comprehensive service) or at a significantly reduced price. This is one of the most convenient and cost-effective ways to check vehicle history.