2021 POLESTAR 2 VIN LPSED3KA3ML019317

This entry is for a 2021 Polestar 2, finished in grey. In place of a gearbox there is a single-speed reduction gear, and the car has all-wheel drive. The drivetrain is fully electric, rated at 402 hp. Details for this car come from a single data source and may differ from its documents.

The car was recorded with 78,016 miles on the clock. Miles and kilometres are easy to confuse, and a distance in miles looks lower than the same distance in kilometres. A car that has covered this much distance for its age has worked hard, and a mechanic should judge the wear accordingly. A single figure proves little: what makes a mileage believable is a series of readings that rise steadily over the years. Older figures usually turn up on service invoices, inspection reports and past title paperwork.

The record lists mechanical damage as the main problem on this car. 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. Some damage shows its consequences only later: corroded connectors and electrical faults can surface months afterwards.

At the time of recording, 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.

The car carries a clean title. A clean title is a good sign, though it says nothing about wear, maintenance or how the car was driven.

Every car builds up a history from the day it is first registered: owners come and go, inspections are passed or failed, and repairs are paid for. A car’s paperwork is scattered: the registry knows about owners, the workshop about repairs and the insurance company about claims. A car’s past rarely shows on the paintwork: a well-repaired accident or water damage that was dried out is easy to miss.

The battery is the most expensive part of an electric car, so the share of its original capacity still available should be measured. Software updates and any battery or motor work carried out under warranty should appear in the car’s service history. A second motor brings a second drive unit, and a diagnostic scan should show both free of faults.

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 record gives the VIN as LPSED3KA3ML019317. 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 VIN check and a physical inspection answer different questions: the first says what happened to the car, the second what condition it is in now. The next step is to look up the history behind VIN LPSED3KA3ML019317.