1996 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD VIN 1G6KY5299TU837226

This Cadillac Fleetwood was built in 1996. Power reaches the wheels through an automatic gearbox.

The record gives the mileage as 60,404 miles. The mileage is modest for the car’s age, but long spells of standing bring their own wear, from seized brakes to dried-out seals. Turning back an odometer takes little skill and leaves no visible trace, which is why earlier figures matter more than the display. A service book or a folder of workshop invoices is the simplest place to find past readings.

The source data names no primary damage. That shows only that none was entered, so the body still deserves a close look. Signs of an old repair – uneven panel gaps, overspray, a slight mismatch in paint – can still turn up at an inspection.

The record notes that the car ran and drove. A key was noted with the car.

A car’s history is the sum of what has happened to it since it was new, and most of it has left a trace on paper somewhere. A car’s paperwork is scattered: the registry knows about owners, the workshop about repairs and the insurance company about claims. What a car has been through is seldom visible at first glance, and a respray can make even a badly damaged car look sound.

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. The VIN on file for this car is 1G6KY5299TU837226. A VIN that differs between the documents and the car, or shows signs of tampering, is reason enough to walk away.

Where entries exist, a VIN check can show changes of owner, past mileage readings, reported damage and whether the car is listed as stolen. A repair paid for in cash at a small workshop leaves no trace in any database, so no report can list it. However complete the paperwork, only an inspection shows the condition of the body, suspension, brakes and electrics today. Look up the history of VIN 1G6KY5299TU837226 first, and let what it shows guide the inspection.