2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER VIN 1G1JC12F447178891

This record covers a 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier, finished in white. The car runs on petrol. The drivetrain combines an automatic gearbox with front-wheel drive. The specification is taken from the source data.

The recorded mileage is 165,479 miles. The instruments count in miles; the same distance in kilometres is about 1.6 times the figure. Services and inspections note the distance covered, so a car with an ordinary past builds up a trail of figures that climb year after year. Figures carry most weight when they come from independent sources: workshops, inspection stations and past title paperwork.

Primary damage in the record: front end. A damage type says what kind of damage the car had, not how serious it was or whether it has been repaired since. Damage rarely stays where it is first seen: an impact can reach the mountings and airbags behind a panel, and water or fire the wiring and electronics.

A ‘runs and drives’ note means the car moved under its own power when it was checked. A key was there when the car was checked. Months of standing can leave a car with seized brakes and perished tyres.

The record shows a clean title. There is no salvage or similar mark, so the car was never recorded as a total loss.

Behind every used car lies a string of events: who owned it and for how long, what the inspections found and which repairs and claims were made. A car’s past rarely shows on the paintwork: a well-repaired accident or water damage that was dried out is easy to miss.

Regular oil changes and timely work on the timing belt or chain decide how well an engine copes with age. On a petrol engine, spark plugs, ignition coils and the cooling system are the routine items a service history should cover. The automatic gearbox should respond smoothly and without delay; jerks, slipping or hesitation on a test drive need investigating.

The tenth character of the VIN stands for the model year, and the eleventh for the plant that built the car. For this car, the VIN is 1G1JC12F447178891. The number in the car’s documents should match the one stamped into the body and the one on the plate at the base of the windscreen.

Depending on what is on file, a VIN report may include past registrations, mileage readings, damage entries, branded titles and theft checks. Paperwork is only as complete as the people who kept it, so a report with few entries lowers the risk without removing it. The past is on file; the car’s condition today is a job for a mechanic, who can check the structure, underbody, electrics and any repairs on a lift. Before any decision, check what is known about VIN 1G1JC12F447178891.