2013 FORD FOCUS SE VIN 1FADP3F23DL122661

The Ford Focus SE described here left the factory in 2013. The drivetrain combines an automatic gearbox with front-wheel drive. The engine is a 2.0-litre petrol unit with four cylinders.

The clock stood at 67,078 miles when the data was entered. Because the clock counts miles, any figure noted in kilometres has to be converted before the two can be compared. Services and inspections note the distance covered, so a car with an ordinary past builds up a trail of figures that climb year after year.

When the car was recorded, it showed damage to the right side. Whether the damage has been repaired since, and how well, is not something a damage entry can show. With damage to the right side on file, the inspection should start with the pillars, sills and doors on the right side.

As a non-runner, the car needs its engine, gearbox and electrics assessed before anything else. The engine could not be started. A key is on file for the car.

A clean title is on file for this car. A clean title is a good sign, though it says nothing about wear, maintenance or how the car was driven.

Registrations, changes of owner, inspection results and accident claims together make up what is called a car’s history. Pieces of a car’s history sit with registries, dealers, workshops and insurance companies, and none of them sees the whole picture. A clean, polished car can still hide a serious accident, a flood or years of hard use.

When a car does not run, a compression test and the condition of the oil tell a mechanic whether the engine can be brought back to life. On a petrol engine, spark plugs, ignition coils and the cooling system are the routine items a service history should cover. With no test drive possible, the automatic gearbox has to be assessed on a lift and with diagnostic equipment.

The tenth character of the VIN stands for the model year, and the eleventh for the plant that built the car. The record gives the VIN as 1FADP3F23DL122661. Scratches, fresh paint or a replaced plate around the VIN markings are warning signs in their own right.

Depending on what is on file, a VIN report may include past registrations, mileage readings, damage entries, branded titles and theft checks. The past is on file; the car’s condition today is a job for a mechanic, who can check the structure, underbody, electrics and any repairs on a lift. Before any decision, check what is known about VIN 1FADP3F23DL122661.