Due Diligence

The issue when buying a used car is to take trust out of the equation. You should only trust yourself to do your due diligence before spending a lot of money on a used car, which involves obtaining as much information about the used car as possible. Dealer service records are an important part of any used car due diligence.

What Service Records Show

Service records tell you whether a used car was properly maintained over the years and whether it is prone to mechanical failure. Poorly maintained used cars and cars that are prone to mechanical failure will likely end up costing you dearly down the road. We’d like to think that everyone is honest and that you can trust everything someone presents about a used car. But we know this isn’t always the case. Most dealer service records are accurate, at least in terms of any work that was performed at the dealer. But keep in mind that repairs can be made by other mechanics that won’t be reflected in the dealer’s service records. And in some cases, people are dishonest and will misrepresent or even alter service records to hide a used car’s problematic past.

Get a Vehicle History Report

If anyone in business ever responds to your due diligence with a question about trust, walk in the other direction. And if you ever want to make sure service records provided by a dealer are accurate, you can obtain a vehicle history report. Vehicle history reports detail the service history of a used car; including whether the car was ever salvaged and what accidents and major repairs the car has experienced. Ordering a vehicle history report online takes just a few moments and will help you be certain about the used car you’re considering purchasing.