Where does the data come from on a vehicle report?

Source

Explanation

State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

Identify important issues like title problems, accidents, or potential fraud that may help you uncover problems.

• Branded titles, including salvage/junk, flood, hail, storm, fire damage and more

• Manufacturer buybacks or lemon titles

• Odometer rollback or not actual miles

• City and state of previous registration, number of owners

• Accidents and damage reports, stolen vehicles

• Rental, taxi, lease, or government use

• Lien information, ownership transfers

Auto Auctions

Find a reliable vehicle that has been through the auction inspection process.

• Low odometer readings

• Structural or frame damage

• Photos of the vehicle from auction

• Complete auction history

Collision repair shops

Understand if a vehicle was in one or more accidents.

• Collision repair history

• Structural or frame damage

Service and maintenance facilities

Know when a vehicle was serviced and what was serviced or repaired.

• Service, repair, and maintenance performed

• Odometer readings

• Service, repair, and maintenance dates and locations

Insurance companies

Identify hidden problems not reported to the state DMV.

• Total loss and reason for the loss

• Stolen vehicles

Manufacturers

Get insights right from the OEM.

• Open recalls

• Certified pre-owned vehicles

• Courtesy buybacks

  1. User Manuals / Guides

Car dealerships and extended warranty companies

Know when the vehicle was offered for sale.

• Vehicle's geographic location

• Odometer readings

• Repair and maintenance history

Vehicle inspection and state inspection states

See if the vehicle passed emissions and safety testing.

• Odometer readings

• Location of the inspection site

• Emissions records

• Safety inspection factors

Rental and fleet companies

Understand if a vehicle was used by a rental company or as a fleet vehicle.

• Total loss and damage history

• Maintenance/service history

Import/export companies

Get a view into a car’s movements.

• Vehicle transfers and locations

Law enforcement agencies

Identify significant events affecting the vehicle’s value.

• Stolen vehicle records and theft recovery

• Accident reports

Salvage auctions

Discover if the car is salvaged, but was not titled as salvage by the DMV.

• Salvaged

• Junked or Recycled