2018 FORD FIESTA SE VIN 3FADP4BJ8JM142496

This Ford Fiesta SE is a 2018 model. The engine is a 1.6-litre flex-fuel unit with four cylinders. The drivetrain combines an automatic gearbox with front-wheel drive.

The car was recorded with 97,704 miles on the clock. A clock converted from miles to kilometres should be documented, since the swap can hide the true mileage. 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.

When the car was recorded, it showed rear-end damage. Two cars with the same damage label can be very different: one needs a few new parts, the other major work.

As a non-runner, the car needs its engine, gearbox and electrics assessed before anything else. The engine did not start. A key was there when the car was checked.

A salvage title is on file for this car. A title of this kind usually means the car was written off as a total loss after damage. 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. A car’s past rarely shows on the paintwork: a well-repaired accident or water damage that was dried out is easy to miss.

On a petrol engine, spark plugs, ignition coils and the cooling system are the routine items a service history should cover. While the car does not run, stored fault codes and a look at the fluid are the only early evidence of how the automatic gearbox has fared.

A vehicle identification number has 17 characters: the first three name the manufacturer, the next six describe the model and its specification, and the last eight identify the individual car. The VIN 3FADP4BJ8JM142496 belongs to this 2018 Ford Fiesta SE. 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.

A VIN report shows what has been logged: earlier registrations, odometer figures, damage entries, branded titles and theft checks, wherever such data exists. No report is complete: a repair done privately and never claimed on insurance leaves nothing to find. However complete the paperwork, only an inspection shows the condition of the body, suspension, brakes and electrics today. Before making a decision about this Ford Fiesta SE, check the history behind VIN 3FADP4BJ8JM142496.