Start with the exact vehicle
Before comparing reports, make sure they all describe the car you intend to buy. Ask the seller for its VIN and compare it with the documents, the report and the identification locations specified by the manufacturer. A number sent in a message can contain a typing mistake or belong to another vehicle. Do not rely on the usual character count as proof of identity. If the identifiers disagree, pause price negotiations until the discrepancy has been explained by the appropriate person or authority.
Identity and history answer different questions
The VIN connects records about one vehicle. Decoding may identify some characteristics, but does not establish every factory option or automatically explain accident history. Keep separate notes for seller statements, documentary evidence and observations from an inspection. Seeing a reversing camera does not prove that a surround-view system is fitted. Missing information should remain an unanswered question. The distinction is especially useful when comparing imported cars whose equipment names or registration descriptions differ between markets.
Read the available Auto-Pass records
RAR says Auto-Pass may contain odometer readings, certain reported repairs, ITP information and recalls. Read its dated entries rather than treating the document as a blanket verdict. Check the vehicle identifier and investigate unexplained gaps or inconsistent mileage. Coverage develops as records are added; an absent entry does not prove that an event never happened. Reach the official service through RAR's website and check the current process there. A familiar-looking logo on an intermediary's page is not evidence of official ownership.
Make a timeline you can inspect
Write down the date, mileage and source of each record, including invoices and service documents. Give unresolved information its own column. A reading lower than an earlier entry needs investigation, but does not establish the cause on its own. Request a written explanation and supporting documents. Do not remove inconvenient entries or estimate missing mileage to make the timeline look consistent. Take the timeline to the inspecting workshop so that its questions address this specific car rather than a generic checklist.
Check ITP separately
RAR's public ITP lookup is a separate consultation. Use the information requested by the form and follow its validation steps. Record when you checked and what the result said. A current ITP does not replace a detailed pre-purchase examination of the vehicle as it stands today. Cars can be used or altered after an inspection. If you notice a present fault, ask for a present assessment instead of assuming that an unexpired document explains it.
Connect the documents with the seller
Establish who owns the vehicle and who is entitled to sign. Where somebody acts for the owner, clarify the arrangement before paying. Vehicle identity, the right to sell and insurance are different checks. A satisfactory mileage report cannot settle all three. Use current official guidance for the documents and obligations relevant to your transaction, and get qualified help where necessary. A general article cannot confirm an individual car's legal position or replace the documents needed for that sale.
Ask questions that can be answered
Replace “Is it a good car?” with specific requests: the date and invoice for a repair, a photograph of damage, or agreement to an independent inspection. Explain what would answer each question. Save the conversation and the listing reference. Gathering evidence may take time; pressure to transfer money is not a substitute for it. Avoid sending complete personal identity documents in public conversations. Share only what is needed through an appropriate private channel after checking the recipient.
Know when to pause
Pause if the identity does not match, documents cannot be explained or an essential examination is refused. Travel costs and money already spent on a report do not oblige you to buy. List what is confirmed, what remains unresolved and what clarification will cost, then compare the car with alternatives. Carletta's listing information and available documents are starting points for those discussions. Direct confirmation and examination of the actual vehicle remain part of a sensible purchase.
When the record is sparse
A small number of entries does not automatically make a car unsuitable, but limits the conclusions available from that report. Ask for evidence covering missing periods, especially where the vehicle was used abroad. Check the origin of documents and their connection with the VIN instead of judging by the number of pages. If evidence remains unavailable, retain that uncertainty when planning further checks and deciding whether to proceed. A plausible explanation and a documented explanation provide different levels of confidence. A longer report is not automatically a more complete one if it simply repeats the same information.
