Car Title Search Guide

How does a car title search find a lemon vehicle?

Buying a vehicle is for most of us the second largest investment we will make in our lifetime, next to our home. When choosing the right car, we believe that you should know all the facts by doing an auto title search and having the car inspected by a professional. If you haven't found the right vehicle yet, here's a quick guide to help you through the whole buying process.

1. Choosing the right vehicle

2. Knowing what it's worth

3. Finding your vehicle

4. Always know the vehicle's history with a car title search

5. Have the vehicle inspected by a professional.

6. Who are you buying from?

7. Are there any outstanding liens found on the car title search ?

8. Are there any outstanding recalls?

Choosing the right vehicle
Choosing the type of vehicle you want and need is a very personal decision. Sport utility? Truck? Family Sedan? Sport Coupe? Convertible? Performance? There are several very good buying guides and magazines available to help you make that decision. They have a good section of used car reviews from selected manufacturers dating as far back as 1991. It's always a good idea to do your homework and do some research on the type of vehicle your looking for.

Knowing what it's worth
Once you've picked out the type of vehicle you want, this is when the work starts. We recommend that you compare the prices of several similar vehicles in your vicinity to get a feel for the prices ranges and to make sure that the vehicle you are looking at falls within your budget. If you don't know much about car prices, find a price guide. Spend the couple bucks for the price guide and you might save hundreds or even thousands when buying a used car. A car title search will also tell you about a cars history.

Finding your vehicle
Finding your vehicle is becoming easier all the time. There are a growing variety of sources where you can find vehicles for sale. One of the more renown and reputable sources is the Trader publications. They are all available for viewing online. They usually list the vin numbers for all cars listed so you can do a car title search on them.

Always know the vehicle's history with a used car check
There are several reasons why knowing the car title history is crucial. The more informed you are about the vehicle you're considering for purchase, the more confident you'll be with your purchase decision. As a buyer, you have a right to know the complete history of the vehicle for sale.

Has it been written-off, junked, salvaged, scrapped or destroyed? Was it rebuilt or stolen? Is the mileage accurate or has the odometer reading been tampered with? Could it be a lemon? Was it a rental car or a taxi? According to a recent Consumer Reports Special Report, about half of the annually estimated 2.5 million vehicles totalled each year in North America are sold at salvage auctions, rebuilt and put back on the road.

A car title search combined with a thorough mechanical inspection provides the answers, gives you peace of mind, and can help you avoid problem cars. A car title search can also potentially save you money.

Have the vehicle inspected by a professional
A proper inspection can save you a lot of headaches down the road. Sometimes it takes more than just kicking the tires or checking under the hood to see if a car is in good shape. Be sure that you get the inspection done by a reputable and honest service / inspection station. Have them lift the vehicle up on a hoist and look for any signs of accident damage and leaks, this could uncover any unreported damages and wear that may not appear on a car title search .

Along with a car title search and an expert inspection, there's a few more things that should all be considered when making a purchase decision.

Who are you buying from?
Is the vehicle on a dealer lot or is it being sold privately? There's a common perception that buying from a dealer is much safer than buying privately. In a lot of cases, that can be true because the dealer, when taking in a trade, will generally search for salvage history to make sure that they are not getting ripped off themselves. Plus, a lot of dealers will do thorough inspections on site for their own protection as well as yours. But unfortunately a large number of the vehicles on any used car lot are usually not from trade-ins, but rather purchased at auction with an often unknown history. It's always a good idea to find out from the dealer where the car originated and ask them for a car title search .

Buying privately can sometimes be riskier, but at the same time you now have the opportunity to find out some facts. Find out why the owner is selling the vehicle. Get any available service records and damage reports. No matter who you're buying from, remember to always get a car title search or VIN Search.

Are there any outstanding liens?
Conducting your due diligence by performing a lien search before buying a vehicle is no different than finding out if a house has a mortgage on it before purchasing it. Knowing if there is a secured 3rd interest on the vehicle is a definite must. The stolen and embezzled vehicle industry costs the used vehicle industry around $1 billion a year. Any party with secured interest on the vehicle often has the right to collect by any means necessary, including repossession, no matter who the current owner is.

When a vehicle is brought to another jurisdiction (sold to someone in another province or state), litigation can be quite costly to prove that it was purchased under the notion that no liens were outstanding. Even then, the chances of getting the original perpetrator to pay off the lien are slim.

Are there any outstanding recalls?
For you and your passengers safety, it's always a good idea to find out if there are any outstanding recalls on your vehicle. Online databases such as www.nhtsa.dot.gov has recall information of all vehicle makes and models. A car title search may also list safety recalls.

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