When you’re shopping for a used car, one of the first things you’ll normally notice is the odometer, which displays its mileage. You’ll want to know how far the car has traveled so that you can get an idea of how much remaining life it has and the price at which it is valued.
However, a simple glimpse into the odo may not tell you the full story. If you want to know a car’s accurate mileage, one of the sure-fire ways to do it is to run a VIN lookup.
VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a unique identifier for each individual vehicle. Running a VIN lookup will give you a snapshot of a car’s previous life, which helps you learn about the distances a car has covered over a timeline. In this article, we’re showing you 4 ways to check mileage by VIN. Read on…
Table of contents
1. Get odometer readings report with BeenVerified
BeenVerified is a powerful vehicle lookup tool. It gets its data from state-level agencies and trusted car industry partners.
Just enter your car’s VIN, then the engine will check its database against your VIN for records associated with your vehicle. This includes a detailed account of the mileage over time, which helps you spot potential inconsistencies in its history or with the miles being displayed on the odometer.
Here is how to check a vehicle’s mileage by VIN at BeenVerified:
- Go to BeenVerified Official Website.
- Enter the VIN, and click Search.
- Wait a few seconds as BeenVerified gathers records for the vehicle and generates a report based on your vehicle. Once ready, click Detailed History to get a view of the mileage that is recorded at different points of its life.
2. Explore mileage history with Bumper
Bumper is an NMVTIS-certified partner and a reliable source of mileage information. By collecting records from 150+ data points, Bumper is capable of diving deep into a vehicle’s past to help you ascertain a car’s condition and value.
A Bumper report may include unwelcome surprises such as a rolled-back odometer or the possibility that the vehicle was once used as a fleet vehicle (a prior taxi or police vehicle, hence a high mileage).
- Head to Bumper Vehicle Search.
- Pop in your vehicle’s digits, then click SEARCH.
- Sit tight as Bumper builds a report based on the vehicle.
3. Detect odometer rollbacks with EPICVIN
EPICVIN is another trusted source to access accurate and authentic reports. According to user feedback, EPICVIN doesn’t just tell you a car’s features and characteristics but also tips you off to hidden secrets that may impact a car’s performance and life. This may include odometer discrepancy, theft records, undisclosed accidents or damages, etc.
- Go to the EPICVIN official website.
- Type the VIN number as suggested, then click Check VIN.
- Wait a few seconds as EPICVIN gathers the records and compiles them into a report for you.
4. Carfax
Carfax is a big player in the used car industry. To help you identify a vehicle with a falsely represented odometer, the website has baked the odometer check function into its engine.
All you need to do is feed your car’s VIN1, then within seconds, Carfax will inform you whether an odometer fraud record is found. Note that while the odometer check function is advertised as free, you’ll be required to pay to access its full report if you need more details about the car. A Carfax report costs a staggering $39.99.
5. Check Reddit
Reddit can also be a useful resource for getting insights into a vehicle’s history and potential issues. There are many subreddit threads where people discuss specific makes, models, and years of vehicles.
There are a few ways to search Reddit for specifics on your vehicle:
- Google Search: Try searching “site:reddit.com [YOUR VIN] mileage” or “site:reddit.com [MAKE/MODEL/YEAR] mileage issues”. This will show Reddit threads that match your search terms.
- Reddit Search: Go to www.reddit.com/r/cars/search and try searches like “[YOUR VIN] mileage” or “[MAKE/MODEL/YEAR] mileage issues”. This searches within the r/cars subreddit.
- Manually Browse: Go to r/cars or other related subreddits and manually browse for posts about your vehicle. You can sort by new or top posts.
From there, you can check out if there are any discussions on car mileage checks. While Reddit comments should not be taken as definitive proof, they can provide additional context to help guide your buying decision.
Why is mileage important?
Mileage is just as important as age in gauging the reliability and value of a pre-owned car. Though not in black and white, the annual range between 10,000 and 15,000 miles is considered good or acceptable mileage. And anything above the 20, 000-mile mark might be indicative of a car prone to repairs, part replacements, or in need of more maintenance.
Generally speaking, a low-mileage car can sell for thousands of dollars more than a similar vehicle that has done over 20,000 miles over a year. It is due to the direct correlation between a used car’s mileage and its price that unscrupulous auto dealers or sellers would go to great lengths to alter the odometer – making it display a significantly lower mileage and selling for better prices to line their pocket (aka. Odometer fraud, which is a felony).
FAQs
Accurately checking a vehicle’s mileage history is important for used car buyers. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions:
1. What are some signs of odometer inconsistencies I should keep an eye out for2?
Be on the lookout for mileage numbers that don’t seem to match up between service records, vehicle titles, and what the odometer currently shows. Also take note if the wear and tear doesn’t align with the miles.
2. Can I peek at a car’s mileage history for free?
Lots of sites will let you do a basic VIN lookup at no cost, but you’ll get more complete reports by spending a few bucks. Services like BeenVerified and Bumper have affordable options that give you all the details you need.
3. What if the dealer says the weird miles are just a paperwork mess-up?
Hmmm, salespeople have been known to say that when trying to hide something! Make sure to double-check things for yourself using Carfax or another vehicle history service, just to feel 100% sure.
4. Is it worth paying extra for one of the premium reports?
It can be! Upgraded options from BeenVerified pull even more data about the car from more places. So that extra info could help you rest easy knowing what you’re buying. Take a look at what’s in their upgraded packages.
5. Can digital odometers be rolled back too3?
Unfortunately yes. Even digital equipment can be tampered with illegally. Running the VIN is critical to compare the numbers.
6. What if I think something fishy is going on with the miles?
Reporting it is smart – file a complaint with agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. And definitely don’t hesitate to talk to a legal professional if fraud ends up costing you big time.
Summary
A car’s mileage matters because it directly tells you how much life it has left – especially for the components where the lifespan is measured in miles. Naturally, the more miles a car has accumulated, the faster a car’s value depreciates. To help you check if a car is showing accurate mileage, this article recommends 4 ways to help you run a VIN lookup: BeenVerified, Bumper, EPICVIN, and Carfax. Hopefully, it has helped.
With that said, it doesn’t mean that a VIN lookup is going to guarantee 100% correct mileage. If you spot any discrepancies, you should verify with your dealer or a qualified mechanic. While the mechanic is around, make sure the mechanic performs a check-up for evidence of odometer tampering.
In addition, mileage alone surely is not the be-all-end-all for determining a used car’s health and worth. Age, amount of wear and tear, mechanical condition, the extent to which it is maintained, and whether it has an accident or branding history are all at play and shouldn’t be neglected.
To reiterate, just to make sure you’re driving home in a reliable car and getting your money’s worth, we strongly recommend a bumper-to-bumper inspection and test drive. Good luck!
Photo by Mike B
- r/askcarsales [drhuggymd]. (2019, March 09) How do you find true Mileage on a car? [Online forum post]. Reddit.
https://www.reddit.com/r/askcarsales/comments/ayuqtg/how_do_you_find_true_mileage_on_a_car/ ↩︎ - [joey645]. (2013, February 04) How to detect *Odometer Fraud* [Online forum post]. Team-BHP.
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/technical-stuff/132122-how-detect-odometer-fraud.html ↩︎ - r/cars [pencil-pusher]. (2020, February 7) Modern odometer tampering? [Online forum post]. Reddit.
https://www.reddit.com/r/cars/comments/f0c6yh/modern_odometer_tampering/ ↩︎
There’s no guarantee you’ll find the information you’re looking for with the tools discussed in this article. They all source their information from publicly available data sources, such as county, state and federal courts, government departments, and police records, and those sources may contain incorrect or incomplete data. It’s illegal to use these tools to make decisions about employment, admission, consumer credit, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require FCRA compliance. Read the Fair Credit Reporting Act to learn more....About this article
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