You have bought a VIN report and there is a lot of data in front of you: a rating, several sections, tables, photos. What really matters and what does it mean for your decision? This guide walks you through the AutoStat report section by section. If you don’t have a report yet, open the sample report and read along.
1. The header: the car’s identity
At the top you see the make, model, year, VIN and basic technical data (engine, fuel, country of origin). The first thing to do: compare this data with the listing and the documents. A different year, engine or country of manufacture is a reason to ask questions before anything else.
2. The rating and quick checks
The rating summarises what was found: the more risk signals (accidents, title brands, suspicious mileage), the lower the rating. Below it are the quick checks:
| Check | What the result means |
|---|---|
| Theft | “Not listed” — the car does not appear in the theft sources checked. |
| Accidents | The number of damage records found. |
| Auctions | Whether the car was sold at auction (usually Copart/IAA). |
| Title brands | Marks such as Salvage, Flood, Rebuilt. |
| NHTSA recalls | The manufacturer’s safety recall campaigns. |
| Mileage | The last known mileage and any signs of tampering. |
The rating is a starting point, not a verdict. Always read the details.
3. Accidents and damage
For each record you see the date, the damaged area and sometimes the estimated repair cost. Useful questions:
- Which area was hit? A heavy front or side impact may affect the structure.
- Did the airbags deploy? If so, have a workshop check the system was restored correctly.
- How recent is the damage? A scratch from 8 years ago matters less than an accident last year.
4. Title brands
This section shows whether the car received a special US title: Salvage, Rebuilt, Flood, Junk. Such a status means the car was declared a total loss or was flooded. Details are in the article about Salvage, Rebuilt and Clean titles.
5. Insurance and salvage records
Here you see records from insurers and salvage registers: total losses, recovered thefts, cars declared for parts. If this section has entries, ask the seller what happened and how the car was repaired.
6. Mileage history
The chart and table show the mileage recorded on different dates. The curve should rise. If the report flags “Odometer rollback!”, a later record shows fewer kilometres than an earlier one — the clearest sign the odometer was wound back. Also read how to check the real mileage.
7. Sales and auction history
For cars from the USA this is often the most valuable section: the auction date, price, damage type and photos of the car before repair. Compare them with the car you see today. If the photos show a badly damaged car and the seller says “no accidents”, you have learned everything you need.
8. Recall campaigns (NHTSA)
Recalls are defects acknowledged by the manufacturer and usually fixed free of charge at brand dealers. They are not a reason to reject the car, but it is worth finding out whether the work was done.
What to do after reading the report
- Write down the risk signals and your questions for the seller.
- Ask for explanations and documents for every problem found.
- Take the car to an independent workshop and show the mechanic the report — it tells them where to look.
- Negotiate the price based on what you found, or walk away if the risks are too high.
The report can be downloaded as a PDF and shared via a link or QR code — handy for showing it to a mechanic or a friend.
A missing record does not automatically mean the event never happened: the report shows what was recorded in the available sources. Always combine it with a technical inspection.
Ready to check a car? Enter the VIN on AutoStat.
