2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS VIN 5NPDH4AE0CH088115

This Hyundai Elantra GLS is a 2012 model. The fuel is petrol. The drivetrain combines an automatic gearbox with front-wheel drive. Every figure for this car is given as it appears in the source data.

At the time of recording, the car had covered 150,709 miles. 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. Service invoices and inspection reports each carry a mileage figure, and lined up in order they show whether the clock tells the truth.

The main issue noted for this car is side damage. The damage type is a short label: the extent of the damage and the quality of any repair still have to be judged on the car. With side damage on file, the inspection should start with the door pillars, the sills and the side airbags.

At the time of recording, the car ran and drove. A key was noted with the car. A condition note describes the car at one moment; months of standing or later work on the car can change the picture in either direction.

A transfer document in place of a title is on file for this car. Without a title certificate, registering the car can take extra paperwork and checks.

A car’s history answers three questions: who kept it, how it was looked after and what went wrong along the way. The paperwork is kept by different bodies – registries, workshops, insurance companies and lenders – so the history of one car is spread across many places. What a car has been through is seldom visible at first glance, and a respray can make even a badly damaged car look sound.

On a petrol engine, a rough idle, misfires or a warning light on the dashboard need looking into. The automatic gearbox should respond smoothly and without delay; jerks, slipping or hesitation on a test drive need investigating.

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 on file for this car is 5NPDH4AE0CH088115.

Depending on what is on file, a VIN report may include past registrations, mileage readings, damage entries, branded titles and theft checks. A repair paid for in cash at a small workshop leaves no trace in any database, so no report can list 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. Look up the history of VIN 5NPDH4AE0CH088115 first, and let what it shows guide the inspection.