VIN Basics
Free vs Paid VIN Check: What Each Covers
What free VIN checks from NHTSA and NICB cover, what a paid vehicle history report adds, and how to use both before you buy a used car.
4 min read
- Articles Written
- 12
- Areas of Expertise
- 3
Guides
UsedVehiclePro Editorial Team
We write the guides on this site. Each one explains a record or document you meet when buying a used vehicle, cites the law or official source behind it, and says plainly what a report can and cannot tell you.
Areas of Expertise
- VIN Basics
- Title Brands
- Window Stickers
All Articles by UsedVehiclePro Editorial Team
12 articles
Buying Guides
How to Read a Vehicle History Report, Section by Section
How to read each section of a vehicle history report, from title brands and odometer readings to auctions and liens, and what "no records found" means.
5 min read
Title Brands
What Does a Lemon Title Mean?
A lemon title marks a vehicle its maker bought back under a state lemon law. What the brand means, how it varies by state and what to check before you buy.
4 min read
Title Brands
What Is Title Washing and How to Spot It
Title washing hides a salvage, flood or lemon brand by moving a vehicle's title between states. How it works, the warning signs and how to check a title.
4 min read
Window Stickers
Window Sticker vs Build Sheet: What Each One Shows
A window sticker and a build sheet both record how a vehicle left the factory. Learn who each was made for, what each lists and which one your vehicle has.
4 min read
Window Stickers
How to Read a Window Sticker (Monroney Label)
A section-by-section guide to the Monroney window sticker, covering price, options, fuel economy and safety ratings, and what each part tells a used-car buyer.
4 min read
Buying Guides
How to Spot a Flood-Damaged Car Before You Buy
The physical signs of flood damage, the records that can reveal it, and why many flooded cars reach the used market without a flood title brand.
3 min read
Title Brands
Salvage vs Rebuilt Title, Explained for Buyers
What salvage and rebuilt titles mean, how a vehicle moves from one to the other, why the rules differ by state and what to check before buying either.
3 min read
VIN Basics
VIN Number Explained, Position by Position
What each of the 17 characters in a VIN means, how the model year and check digit work, and how older pre-1981 VINs differ from modern ones.
3 min read
Buying Guides
What a Vehicle History Report Can't Tell You
Why no vehicle history report is complete, which events are often missing, and how to combine a report with free official checks and an inspection.
2 min read
VIN Basics
Where to Find the VIN on a Car, Motorcycle or Trailer
The places a VIN is stamped or printed on cars, trucks, motorcycles and trailers, plus the paperwork that shows it and what a mismatch means.
3 min read