Every used car has a secret past life that may make buying that car an unwise choice. I have learned in the past few times buying a used car, about the importance of having a vehicle history report run. Not only has this revealed aspects of the vehicle’s history that had nothing to do with being in an accident, but it actually provided the information I needed to negotiate for a lower purchase price.

Last summer I decided that I had enough equity in on my 2000 Ford Focus that it would be a good idea to see if I could trade it in on a newer vehicle. This was especially attractive, since I had owned the car for four years and it had never had air conditioning! If you know anything about Texas, you will understand why I was eager to get a car with air conditioning.

At the car dealership I was shown a purple PT Cruiser that was only two years old. Seeing as how I am quite fond of purple, I was interested in the car for that reason alone. Previously, I consider the PT Cruiser to be a really close cousin of ugly. Then I noticed the cargo area, learned that it was had front-wheel drive, four cylinders and, even better…air conditioning!

During the negotiating for the purchase, I was beginning to feel a little pressured to make a decision. Partly in an effort to stop and think about the deal and partly because I wanted to know the car’s history, I told the salesman that I wanted to go home and run a automobile history check. Almost before I finished the sentence, the salesman sped off only to return five minutes later with a printout of the complete vehicle history report from AutoCheck for "my" car.

Even though the car was only 24 months old, it had over 48,000 miles. Now, I knew that the average mileage for a vehicle is considered to be 12,000 miles per year. So I didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that this car had twice the miles it should have.

The answer was contained in the vehicle history report; the first year it had been a rental car. While that might be considered a drawback by some, the report also revealed that every 30 days or so, the car was serviced. That alone reassured me that the car had been well cared for.

Armed with the knowledge revealed in the vehicle history report, I was able to negotiate for a reduction in the purchase price. By reminding the salesman that the car had twice the number of miles it should have, I then insisted that I wouldn’t pay the price being asked. I named a price a thousand dollars less, and refused to budge. After all, I didn’t need the car.

Needless to say, the price was reduced, the deal was completed, and I drove home in a "new" purple PT Cruiser, savoring that air conditioning! As you can see, it does pay to know that every used car has a secret past, and even if you are purchasing a car from a private individual the cost of a vehicle history report could save you thousands.