2015 FORD EXPLORER LIMITED VIN 1FM5K8F80FGA90953

This entry is for a 2015 Ford Explorer Limited, finished in black. The gearbox is automatic, with four-wheel drive. The fuel is petrol. Every figure for this car is given as it appears in the source data.

The recorded mileage is 162,520 miles. A clock converted from miles to kilometres should be documented, since the swap can hide the true mileage. 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.

The record lists rear-end damage as the main problem on this car. A damage entry is a starting point for the inspection, telling the mechanic where to look first.

The car is recorded as running and driving. A key was present. Condition notes are a snapshot: the car may have been worked on, stripped of parts or left standing since.

The car carries a non-repairable title. A title of this kind usually means the car was written off as a total loss after damage.

Registrations, changes of owner, inspection results and accident claims together make up what is called a car’s history. A clean, polished car can still hide a serious accident, a flood or years of hard use.

A cold start, the colour of the exhaust smoke and any oil leaks tell a mechanic a good deal about how an engine has been treated. On a petrol engine, spark plugs, ignition coils and the cooling system are the routine items a service history should cover. The automatic gearbox needs its fluid changed at the manufacturer’s intervals, and invoices should show that it was.

Every modern car carries a 17-character VIN, its identity for life, and no two cars share one. The VIN on file for this car is 1FM5K8F80FGA90953.

A VIN report gathers what different sources know about a car, such as the number of owners, mileage readings, damage and any branded title. Paperwork is only as complete as the people who kept it, so a report with few entries lowers the risk without removing it. A history report says nothing about the car’s present condition: the frame, corrosion, electrics and the quality of any repair are judged on a lift by a mechanic. A history check on VIN 1FM5K8F80FGA90953 is the place to start.