2013 KIA OPTIMA SX VIN 5XXGR4A61DG159712

This entry is for a 2013 KIA Optima SX. Power reaches the wheels through an automatic gearbox. The engine is a 2.0-litre petrol unit with four cylinders.

The source data puts the mileage at 147,978 miles. Turning back an odometer takes little skill and leaves no visible trace, which is why earlier figures matter more than the display.

Primary damage in the record: side. A damage type says what kind of damage the car had, not how serious it was or whether it has been repaired since.

The record notes that the car ran and drove. A key is on file for the car. Months of standing can leave a car with seized brakes and perished tyres.

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.

Regular oil changes and timely work on the timing belt or chain decide how well an engine copes with age. 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 5XXGR4A61DG159712. The VIN usually appears at the base of the windscreen, on a door pillar and stamped into the body, and all of them should match the documents.

What a history report can list depends on what has been documented about the car: registrations, mileage readings, damage, branded titles and theft reports. The past is on file; the car’s condition today is a job for a mechanic, who can check the structure, underbody, electrics and any repairs on a lift. The next step is to look up the history behind VIN 5XXGR4A61DG159712.