It is usually best to research a vehicle before purchasing it, if possible, by obtaining its vehicle identification number (VIN). Once you have this you can use online research and information tools to find out about the car's history.

Vehicle history reports can be ordered from a number of Internet companies. The first company to offer this service was CarFax that started this service by fax in 1986 but now is mostly used over the Internet. If you order a report from Carfax, you receive a vehicle history report that is broken into nine categories: report summary, vehicle specifications, accident check, mileage accuracy check, lemon check, ownership check, recall check, and warranty check and vehicle history details.

With CarFax you can get a single report or if you are shopping for a used car you can buy an unlimited amount of reports for 30 days. Each vehicle report includes the 9 items listed above as well as a free safety and reliability report which includes crash test results, safety recalls, reliability ratings as well as warranty information on the automobile in question.

Consumer Guide has taken the process one step further. Vehicle history information is drawn from the huge Experian database coupled with Consumer Guide's repair information.

With the Consumer Guide complete vehicle you can receive information on an auto's history safety ratings, common trouble spots, average repair costs, accident, repair, and odometer history. These reports can uncover hidden accident damage, odometer history and false readings, car theft reports, flood damage, lemon history, safety ratings and recall information. With this service you can get a single vehicle history or unlimited (30 days in which you can pull reports) that comes with title guard.

Other Internet vehicle history sites, such as Autocheck, give similar reports so you will need to check out which site you believe will give you the best information and then order the history of the used car that you have purchased. The vehicle history should go give you information for all years of the car and not only 2001 to 2005 and information on if the car has previously been in a reported accident.