2009 NISSAN MAXIMA 3.5 SV VIN 1N4AA51E89C827576

This Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV was built in 2009. Under the bonnet is a 3.5-litre petrol engine. The drivetrain combines an automatic gearbox with front-wheel drive. Details for this car come from a single data source and may differ from its documents.

A later figure lower than an earlier one points to a replaced instrument cluster or an odometer that has been wound back. Older figures usually turn up on service invoices, inspection reports and past title paperwork.

No damage entry is on file for this car, and the bodywork still needs checking in person. Signs of an old repair – uneven panel gaps, overspray, a slight mismatch in paint – can still turn up at an inspection.

The record describes this Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV as a non-runner. An engine that will not start could have a simple electrical fault or internal damage, and only diagnostic work can tell which. No key is recorded with the car, and a replacement has to be coded to the immobiliser.

Title status in the record: non-repairable. A title of this kind usually means the car was written off as a total loss after damage. Once issued, a branded title stays with the VIN for good, and it affects registration and insurance for every later owner.

Every car builds up a history from the day it is first registered: owners come and go, inspections are passed or failed, and repairs are paid for. A car’s past rarely shows on the paintwork: a well-repaired accident or water damage that was dried out is easy to miss.

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 ninth character of the VIN is a check digit calculated from the other sixteen, so a mistyped or invented number does not add up. The record gives the VIN as 1N4AA51E89C827576. A VIN that differs between the documents and the car, or shows signs of tampering, is reason enough to walk away.

A VIN report gathers what different sources know about a car, such as the number of owners, mileage readings, damage and any branded title. No report is complete: a repair done privately and never claimed on insurance leaves nothing to find. 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. Before any decision, check what is known about VIN 1N4AA51E89C827576.