2013 CHEVROLET SONIC LT VIN 1G1JC5SH6D4106603

This record covers a 2013 Chevrolet Sonic LT. The gearbox is automatic, with front-wheel drive. The engine is a 1.8-litre petrol unit with four cylinders. The specification is taken from the source data and has not been checked against other documents.

The clock stood at 157,114 miles when the data was entered. Because the clock counts miles, any figure noted in kilometres has to be converted before the two can be compared. The number on the clock proves little by itself; earlier figures logged at services and inspections are what make it believable. Figures carry most weight when they come from independent sources: workshops, inspection stations and past title paperwork.

The record lists front-end damage as the main problem on this car. Two cars with the same damage label can be very different: one needs a few new parts, the other major work.

When checked, the car could be started and driven under its own power. A key was present.

According to the source data, the car has a transfer document in place of a title. Without a title certificate, registering the car can take extra paperwork and checks.

A car’s history is everything logged against it since it left the factory: registrations and owners, inspections, repairs and insurance claims. The paperwork is kept by different bodies – registries, workshops, insurance companies and lenders – so the history of one car is spread across many places. Much of a car’s past cannot be seen: a good body repair leaves no obvious mark, and neither do years of hard driving.

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.

Every modern car carries a 17-character VIN, its identity for life, and no two cars share one. This car’s identification number is 1G1JC5SH6D4106603.

Depending on what is on file, a VIN report may include past registrations, mileage readings, damage entries, branded titles and theft checks. A history report says nothing about the car’s present condition: the frame, corrosion, electrics and the quality of any repair are judged on a lift by a mechanic. The next step is to look up the history behind VIN 1G1JC5SH6D4106603.