2014 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5 SV VIN 1N4AL3AP9EC115779

This Nissan Altima 2.5 SV was built in 2014. The drivetrain combines an automatic gearbox with front-wheel drive. The fuel is petrol. Every figure for this car is given as it appears in the source data.

The record gives the mileage as 196,350 miles. Because the clock counts miles, any figure noted in kilometres has to be converted before the two can be compared. High mileage alone does not rule a car out; what matters is whether regular servicing kept pace with it. Turning back an odometer takes little skill and leaves no visible trace, which is why earlier figures matter more than the display.

The main issue noted for this car is damage to the right side. A damage entry is a starting point for the inspection, telling the mechanic where to look first.

The record notes that the car ran and drove. A key is on file for the car. Running condition describes a single moment, and standing or work done since can change it.

Title status in the record: salvage. At some point in its life, the car was declared a total loss. The structure and the quality of any work done deserve a thorough inspection on a car with a branded title, however sound the car looks.

Registrations, changes of owner, inspection results and accident claims together make up what is called a car’s history. What a car has been through is seldom visible at first glance, and a respray can make even a badly damaged car look sound.

A cold start, the colour of the exhaust smoke and any oil leaks tell a mechanic a good deal about how an engine has been treated. A petrol engine in good order starts cleanly, idles evenly and pulls without hesitation. The automatic gearbox needs its fluid changed at the manufacturer’s intervals, and invoices should show that it was.

The ninth character of the VIN is a check digit calculated from the other sixteen, so a mistyped or invented number does not add up. The VIN on file for this car is 1N4AL3AP9EC115779. 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. 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. Before going any further with this Nissan Altima 2.5 SV, it makes sense to look up VIN 1N4AL3AP9EC115779.