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What is AutoCheck Vehicle History Report and How to use it in making wise buy and sell used cars decision?

Consumers today have more choices than ever before when shopping for automobile. With the Internet, they have access to a virtual library of information to help in decision-making process. It is not uncommon for a customer to know more about a particular product or service than the private seller or salesperson selling it. Buying a used car should be fun. The more information you have, the more confidence you'll have when you negotiate for that potential used car. There's never been a better time to buy a used vehicle. We hope this AutoCheck 101 guide will help you find the perfect mint vehicle for you - one that makes you want to drive, just for the fun of it.

In response to our customers' request on learning how to read (decipher) and use AutoCheck effectively and efficiently; Lemon History Check provides you with in-depth guide to AutoCheck vehicle history report or many of our customers called it AutoCheck 101. In this section you will learn all the terms or jargons, frequently asked questions and testimonials on AutoCheck. When you see a blue link, click to read more information on that topic.

Auto News: Sweetened consumer incentives, enhanced vehicle lineups and an improving U.S. economy lifted new car and truck sales in last November, automakers reported - source: Business AP. Most analysts predicted sales of new cars and trucks to rise last month from October and a year ago thanks to hefty showroom bargains, which are likely to continue for the remainder of the year. Many automakers also improved incentives to end 2002 as they tried to meet year-end sales goals. Also helping, analysts and automakers said, is a strengthening economy that bodes well for business heading into 2004.

Since more people buying new cars, there are also more used cars offered for sale on the market. With Internet growing popularity consumers has been using Internet as the source for searching information, shopping products and services. Lemon History Check has been providing free AutoCheck vehicle history report service via Internet since December 1996 - AutoCheck history. Consumers have been using AutoCheck vehicle history report since 1996, which was the first year it is made available to consumers. With the Internet access, consumers can gain the same instant access to vehicle history reports, which was already available to used car dealers via fax since 1986.

The AutoCheck database is the most comprehensive and accurate vehicle database in North America, containing 2.36 billion vehicle history records that are updated monthly - source, data provided and its meaning. Each record reveals information about a car's history, such as an odometer reading, date a salvage/junk title was issued, or if it was a rental car. The following are the data reported:

• Totaled in an accident / Salvaged
• Flood damage
• Odometer rollbacks
• Lemon histories
• Junked Titles
• State emissions inspection results
• Lien activity, and/or
• Vehicle use (taxi, rental, lease, etc.)
• Over the last year, AutoCheck has added several enhancements to its report and to its user websites to better serve the needs of used car buyers and sellers. The Safety and Reliability Report is free with the purchase of Unlimited AutoCheck History Reports and includes information such as: crash test results, safety recalls, reliability ratings, warranty information and more.
• AutoCheck vehicle service report provide Safety data on the specific make, model, and year.
  This information will help you select a vehicle model that meets your expectations for safety and security. - Safety & Reliability Report
  • Crash Test Results - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides 3 different ratings - full-width frontal crash test, side impact crash test, and rollover resistance. The frontal crash test indicates how well the safety features and restraints will protect an occupant in a head-on collision. The side-impact test conveys the chance of a severe chest injury, while the rollover resistance rating estimates the risk of rolling over in a single vehicle crash
  • Crashworthiness - Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) uses a frontal offset crash test to estimate the crashworthiness of a vehicle. These results are good indicators of how a frontal impact will structurally impact this Year, Make, Model.
  • Low Speed Damage Repair - IIHS conducts four 5 mph crash tests to assess bumper performance. These results convey how well this model's bumpers will protect the car body from damage in low-speed collisions.
  • Injury, Collision, & Theft rating index - sourced from the IIHS, Highway Loss Data Institute.
  • Safety Recalls - Print out of the manufacturer recall date, units potentially affected, NHTSA campaign number, defective part or component, and description of the recall campaign.
• Reliability data are shown on your AutoCheck report.- Safety & Reliability Report
  Use this information to check how reliable a vehicle model is before you buy.
  • J.D. Power and Associates Power Ratings
  • Original Manufacturer Warranty
  • Reviews & Opinions
  • Awards. - Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, Polk Automotive, and J.D. Power and Associates.

What consumers look for when shopping online

Based on J.D. Power and Associates survey, Vehicle History Report are the top 10 items consumers look for when shopping online. The relliability and safety information reports (both are included in the AutoCheck report) are also in the top 10. We appreciate million number of consumers who visited and continue referring www.cccvette.com as their source of buying used car information.

The following are the top 10 items:

1. Prices of used vehicles
2. Vehicle Reliability Information - Available on your AutoCheck report
3. Trade-In Values
4. Prices of New Vehicles
5. Vehicle History Reports - Available on your AutoCheck report
6. Safety Information - Available on your AutoCheck report
7. Dealer Cost/ Invoice Price of New Vehicle
8. Options/Features available on Vehicles
9. Performance Information on Vehicles
10. Road Tests/ Articles About Vehicles

J.D. Power and Associates surveys show that roughly two out of every three people who'll buy a new car or truck this year will begin the shopping process online. In the used car market, where a sizeable share of vehicles are sold on corner lots or swapped within a family, nearly half of all buyers will spend at least some time doing their homework on the web. Accross the board, the online automotive shopping experience has been steadily improving over the years, consumers report. The Internet offers consumers unique resources never before available.

The Internet offers consumers unique resources never before available. Once secret data, such as vehicle history report, recall, reliability and safety data are now readily available through our service.

AutoCheck vehicle history report help eliminate the general frustation with finding a good, reliable, previously owned vehicle.

How to use AutoCheck and Kelley Blue Book in buying or selling a car decision?

Since the day AutoCheck vehicle history report was made available to public, consumers now can gain an insight of what was going on through a vehicle usage history. This is the day when certain unscrupulous used car dealerships that sell shady used cars feared of. These unscrupulous dealerships make tons of money buying and selling salvaged, previous major accident, lemon status "problem ridden car", government or financial institution seized cars that they bought from auto auction. These dealerships have been growing really big because the consumers did not know that they can have access to a vehicle history data. Since you already found our site, you have the power to help your friend and families from getting conned by those dealership.

Automobile consumers have been using AutoCheck Vehicle History Report as essential source of evidence on a specific car history when buying or selling used car. Running a complete AutoCheck report is the first step that people do after they scanned and select potential used cars. The detailed results from the report search and check help customers narrow down the number of potential cars that they are interested to pursue.

Kelley Blue Book help facilitate transactions between buyers and sellers by offering Kelley Blue Book used car value prices. This blue book value price can be used as your guidance for the "reasonable" market price for used cars with that make, model, year and option.

The vehicle history report that you pull out from AutoCheck can be used to investigate that particular car information pertaining to a vehicle's title, registration and usage or driving habit of the previous owners.

A clean history record will have a positive effect on the car market value. A blemished record will have an adverse effect to the car resale value. Another important things to consider is to always do at least 100 plus points service inspection and ask for previous service maintenance and repair record. Using all of the above information you have a powerful car fact to back up your decision,

Sellers of used cars should at least run 1 car history report when they try to sell their vehicle. These are for their own safety precaution that there have been no reported problems on their vehicles. In many cases, some sellers got embarrased when their potential customers showed them AutoCheck vehicle history report which listed the cars they were trying to sell were lemon.

As a buyer : when you see a clean record you are more confidence in the bargaining process for your dream car. This vehicle history report play an important role when you compare many identical vehicles, especially when the sellers are from far away. First, you need to enter the VIN number to our AutoCheck VIN check from each car you found on the used cars classifieds from Internet, magazines, or newspapers. Next print them out to do a comparison. This car fact report should help you weed out many cars that have questionable records. Start from the car that has a perfect record and go step by step down to the car that has questionable record. Then just contact the person with the car that meet Kelley Blue Book value price range. If the car is located far away, you should ask for recent pictures of the car and a fax of the recent service maintenance receipt and mechanics note on the car. Then, determine the the car value worth based on all information you just gathered and compared to similar car that has similar history. Next, contact the owner to fill out missing information based on the vehicle history report. Finally, you need to decide the value weight you put on each car and start to bargain the car that has the best value.

As a buyer: you will be able to sell your car faster when you are upfront to the potential buyers. Do a used car history VIN check, you can buy either 1-single report if you don't need to buy a used car to replace your existing car or you can buy to unlimited report when you are going to replace your car with a preowned car. Show the print out report to potential buyer and explain potentially questionable records, such as lease, auction, commercial vehicle, finance status, discrepancies in the number of previous owner based on title transfer (a title transfer does not always mean a transfer of ownership, it can be an adding or substracting a personal individual or commercial business party name). Don't be unprepared when a potential buyer already print out his own Car Lemon History Check and Kelley Blue Book value estimation. Use the combination of the report and blue book values to determine the acceptable fair market value and be confidence when you stand your ground on your offer price.

Please read more discussion on Resale Value

Resale Value

If you want to know which vehicles sell the most in 2003, you can read Top 10 Best Seller Vehicles lists. All of the above factors - car price, vehicle history, reliability, safety, performance, features, resale value - are important factors in the buying decision of used cars. Click here to check the car make and models to best hold its value from 1998-2003.

Vehicle history and mechanical condition of used cars are probably the most difficult factors to measure. But they are the most important factors in the resale value of a used car. There are many different type of resale value based on car car history and overal condition (exterior, interior, parts, and engine):

1. Low resale value.
2. Medium or average resale calue.
3. High resale value.

AutoCheck vehicle history report can be used in the purpose of measuring resale value. It is a common sense that, we all want to have vehicle with a clean title record.

Vehicles with low or "too good to be true" price may have high mileage, one or more defects on their car history or condition. The car may also have many deffered maintenance or repair. A vehicle that have salvage title have no measureable value, so the price depends on the buyers' decision.

• Vehicles in this category are suggested for consumers who can accept high mileage car as long as the car can do its purpose of transporting and moving stuff. Make sure that you calculate the cost to do maintenance or repair compared to buy a slightly higher priced vehicle with better condition.

Vehicles with medium or average price, may have average (medium) mileage, zero or one defect on their car history or condition. The car should have regular maintenance schedule.

• Vehicles in this category are suggested for consumers who can accept average (medium) mileage with acceptable condition.

Vehicles with premium price should have low mileage, perfect history and condition. The car should have regular maintenance schedule and don't have any defferred repair.

• Vehicles in this category are suggested for consumers who want low mileage car with better than average condition.

Read the odometer reported on AutoCheck vehicle history report, they usually are posted every time there is a change in the title or when there is a smog check. You can calculate how many miles per year a vehicle traveled. An average mileage for a vehicle is 12,000 miles a year, so for a 3 year-old vehicle 36,000 miles is considered normal.

Factors that affect resale or trade in value:

• Mileage - Do you use your car on weekend only? Probably not. Most people drive between 10,000 and 12,000 miles per year. Put on fewer miles and your vehicle will fetch a premium.
• Make and model - A popular model worth a premium value. And vehicle that are still under manufacturer warranty (3 years 36,000 miles usually) bring a higher value.
• Vehicle options
• Time of Year - Thinking of trading that convertible for an SUV? Great idea if the flower are still blooming...maybe not so good if there's snow on the ground. Convertible price is the highest at spring through fall season.
• Current Incentives - A 0% deal from the manufacturer makes newer versions of your car more attractive to buyers...which may lower demand and value for you.
• Vehicle condition - Severely damaged vehicles are less popular and bring lower prices while "clean"vehicles get a premium.
• Where you live - There are regional preferences for vehicles based on typical use, terrain, climate, and regional taste.
• Other factors - There are many other variables like economic conditions, local supply, and new vehicle production that can affect your value.

Certified Used Cars - Caveat Emptor

Nowadays, vehicle owners and drivers growing knowledge on car lead to better maintenance. Some enthusiast pople can do "do-it-yourself" maintenance and car care (wash, detailing, polishing, and waxing). In addition, improved maintenance, factory warranty program, extended warranty from a third party, and improvement in the car's design and quality give people more confidence on buying used cars.

Many buyers are taking advantage of the used car programs offered by the new car makers. For example, Ford Motor Co.'s red carpet program, allow consumers to buy an off-lease, nearly new Ford Explorer for substantially less than a brand new one. The used car went through an extensive inspection program. Worn brakes were replaced, dings and dents were fixed, and then the entire vehicles was covered by a like new vehicle warranty. Ford is just one of a growing list of automakers offering a certified used car program. Though the various offerings are essentially similar, the details vary between makers.

To qualify under some programs, a car must have no more than 36,000 miles on the odometer. Extended warranties vary widely, but are typically 12 to 36 months, though in some cases, that can be added on top of the time reamaining on the original warranty. And some manufacturers may also make special low interest financing available as an enticement.

Whatever the individual details, the bottom line is that used cars customers can now get the level of comfort and protection normally provided only by the purchase of a new vehicle. According to the J.D. Power's 2003 Used vehicle Sales and Certification Study reveals that 38 percent of those buying a car or truck from a franchised dealership opted for a vehicle covered by one of these programs. The covered vehicles carry a premium an average of $1,000 for a mainstream brand, $3,000 more for a luxury nameplate. Consumer rate the warranties that come with certified pre-owned vehicles as the most valuable feature of the programs, and they are willing more for the added peace of mind.

Although the programs seem perfect for consumers, one thing to remember is that these auto dealership are in the business to make money. These dealer are not required to give notification to potential customer about the previous history of the car if the previous owners failed to notify them. We know this from our own experience. We bought a used 1993 Mercedes Benz S-class from a local dealership in 1997. The car had a Starmark certification from Mercedes Benz. Unfortunately, one of our employee had an accident after one month, the auto body shop checked the car and found out that the car had a previous bodywork done on the car and sustained frame damage (bent frame). Well, we decided to run a AutoCheck vehicle history report and found out that the car was indeed in a major accident before. The car was repaired flawlesly by the previous auto body shop that it can only be detected from the underbody and by a professsional auto body repairer. Well, we learned our lesson not to trust any dealership no matter how big and reputable they are because probably they did not even run the AutoCheck vehicle history report.

Caveat Emptor - "Let the buyer beware!"

Fortunately, consumers now can access the AutoCheck vehicle history report instantly online.

As with any other major purchase, it's important to read the fine print carefully with a certified used-car purchase. While the certified preowned programs cover far more than the traditional "as is" warranty offered on most used cars, they don't always duplicate the new vehicle's complete, bumper to bumper coverage. So it is important to realize that certified pre-owned programs are not a universal panacea. And remember that as with any used car, there is no way to absolutely ensure you're taking home the proverbial cream puff.

Tips: Extended warranty offered by car manufacturer is not always the best solution, there are third party extended warranty providers that offered better coverage at much cheaper price. For consumers who want to save money on extended warranty or learn about auto warranty, you can read auto warranty tips.

The following are frequently asked questions.

1. Why can I not obtain a AutoCheck Report on vehicles made before 1981?
2. What do I do if I do not have access to my AutoCheck Account email?

3. Title washing - Vehicle title washing occurs when vehicle rebuilders patch together severely damaged and salvaged vehicles in one state, and then move to another state to obtain clear and clean title that gives a buyer no clue of the vehicle's past damage. Often, the rebuilt vehicles have significant defects that bring buyers problems, expenses, and safety risks.

   Vehicle title washing sounds a little like a car wash but, in this case, the consumer gets soaked. With over 45 million used cars and trucks sold in 2002, it's perhaps not surprising that a number of those vehicles come fully equipped—equipped with headaches from the merely cosmetic to those threatening safety. These questions and answers can steer you through the title washing track.

   In 1998, 2.5 million U.S. vehicles were so badly damaged that they were declared a total loss, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Of these, approximately 40% were rebuilt and put back on the road. Women, minorities, recent immigrants, and teenagers buying their first cars are common targets of unscrupulous vehicle sellers.

   How does vehicle title washing affect consumers?
   There are numerous cases, but here are some examples:

   • A California college student purchased a car from a major franchised dealer who maintained that the vehicle was "certified" and had passed a "100-point inspection." The buyer began experiencing problems immediately after purchase. First, the steering rack had to be replaced. Then, she discovered the frame was bent, which made the vehicle unsafe and unstable. The tires wore unevenly. The trunk leaked. The buyer had the car inspected by an independent repair shop and learned that the vehicle had been involved in a serious wreck. When the car was rebuilt, the workmanship was so poor that it rendered the vehicle unstable. The buyer confronted the dealer, who refused to take the car back. She hired an attorney and filed a lawsuit to get out of the deal.
   • A Chicago-area businesswoman bought a car from what she thought was a reputable dealer, but later learned that the car had been rebuilt after a wreck. A mechanic found the engine was not properly lined up in the chassis and that parts of the car had been welded together where bolts normally are used. During a four-year-long court suit, the woman's attorneys learned that the wrecked car had been purchased by an out-of-state backyard mechanic who had tried to fix it up and then sold it to a repair shop in another state—where a couple purchased it and later traded it in.
   • A 73-year-old Northern California woman was awarded $100,000 in punitive damages in a lawsuit accusing a dealer of selling her and her late husband a used car without disclosing that it had been in a crash.

   Who has laws against title washing, and is any legislation pending?
   California, Michigan, and Iowa have tough consumer protection laws prescribing when a vehicle's title must be branded as salvage or nonrepairable—but other states are less protective. Unscrupulous individuals take advantage of this lack of uniformity and move wrecked vehicles to states having low or no standards in vehicle retitling. In this way, they are able to wipe out the vehicle's damage history.

   Nationally, both Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Senator Trent Lott (R-Miss.) have sponsored bills supporting a uniform national standard for dealing with wrecked and salvaged vehicles. Lott's bill would classify as "salvage" a vehicle that sustains damage exceeding 75% of its preaccident value, but would permit states to enact lower percentages. It also would require warning labels on rebuilt salvage vehicles. Feinstein's bill goes further—requiring the word "salvage" to be stamped on the title of any vehicle with damage exceeding 65% of its preaccident value. It also would require owners to disclose any damage exceeding $3,000, unless the damage was entirely cosmetic.
   

   How do I know if a car has been title-washed?
   In some cases, you may not be able to know for sure—but here are some measures you can take:

   Check the title to see if the car is an out-of-state vehicle. Does it say "salvaged"? If the title doesn't say the car is salvaged then:

   • Check to see if the paint on the outside of the car matches the paint inside the door frame.
   • Make sure that the parts of the car line up with each other—and that the gaps between the doors and around the hood and trunk are straight and even.
   • Have a mechanic check underneath for evidence of welding of the frame or unibody.
   • Look for evidence of flood damage. Check under the mat for mud or dirt. Look for watermarks on the inside of the doors, and for moisture inside the trunk and under the seats.
     

   What steps can I take to protect myself?
   Before making a down payment on a used car:

   1. Get the car's vehicle identification number (VIN). Every vehicle manufactured since 1981 has a 17-character VIN that identifies the year, make, model, body style, engine size, restraint system, and place of manufacture.
   2. AutoCheck offers vehicle title histories on cars consumers plan to buy or sell. A free report is available when you enter your VIN.
   3. At the car lot, ask to see a copy of the dealer's warranty before you buy. There may be none.
   4. Ask for the car's maintenance record from the owner, dealer, or repair shop.
   5. Ask to take the car to an independent garage or mechanic for an unbiased third-party inspection before buying.
   • Please read Certified used cars for other info on dealer scam.

   Curbstoning - A curbstoner is a person who purchases vehicles at volumes that require a dealer license and then poses as a private seller to sell to unsuspecting buyers for a large profit. Curbstoning is illegal in most States. AutoCheck analyzes a vehicle's history for specific events to determine if a vehicle is potentially at risk for curbstoning. For instance, a vehicle that has been sold at auction but not issued a new title during a given period of time. Please read the AutoCheck Curbstoning Tips for other ways to identify a potential curbstoner.

Auto manufacturers have to buy back a disproportionately high number of vehicles due to various lemon laws. According to Kiemmel & Silverman law firm, there are about 25,000 lemon vehicles bought back by auto manufacturers each year, nationwide. Even if that number is extremely conservative, it underscores the fact that only a tiny fraction of the more than 16 million vehicles sold annually turn out to be lemons.

What is a lemon car?

While most of us know one when we drive one, the impartial eyes of the law may see things differently. In fact, individual states vary in defining which vehicles qualify as lemons and what manufacturers must do to satisfy consumers.

All 50 states and the Distric of Columbia have their own lemon laws.

Lemon Laws are explained in the following state and also Lemon law attorney "lawyer" listings directory.: