Check vehicle history: Used car check against fraud
You scroll through eBay classifieds or Autoscout24 and suddenly fall in love with the used car of your dreams. Only a few doubts remain: Is the car being offered so cheaply because it has been in an accident in the past? Was the service done reliably? How many kilometers has the engine really clocked up? In this case, a used car check is recommended to gain insight into the vehicle history.
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ADAC, DEKRA & Co.: Used car check by a professional
Interested parties obviously don’t want to buy a pig in a poke. Therefore, it is particularly useful for sellers, a comprehensive overview of your own car to have to set the price realistically.
If you want to be absolutely sure that the car or second-hand motorcycle for sale has not been involved in an accident, you can send an inquiry to the DEKRA (German Motor Vehicle Monitoring Association). ADAC (General German Automobile Club) or to the TÜV. Also in workshops you can have the car checked.
For a fee you can then View vehicle historypossible defects are read out and you have certainty about possible accident damage and hidden signs of use.
How much does the examination cost?
On average, you pay for that full used car check around 90 euros. Basic packages, for example at TÜV Süd, cost you 29.50 euros. Depending on the provider, 120 points are checked in the course of the inspection, and you will then receive a report. At workshops like ATU, the premium version of the check costs around 30 euros.
If you are an ADAC member, the check will be cheaper for you – you can do brakes, lighting and shock absorbers Try it for free to let. TÜV Nord also offers an online examination via smartphone camera, which costs 79 euros.
Check vehicle history online: VIN required
There are various sites on the web that only allow you to enter the chassis number or the vehicle identification number View vehicle history can. However, the seller has to play along for this, otherwise the history of the vehicle will remain in the dark – in this case, however, you should be suspicious anyway.
With providers like AutoDNA or Carvertical you can check whether the speedometer has been manipulated, whether the car has been involved in an accident or whether the vehicle was even stolen. It even comes with photos. With AutoDNA, checking the vehicle history costs 13.90 euros, with Carvertical it depends on how many reports you request. A single one costs you 25 euros here, with two it is 16 euros per report.
You should be particularly careful with these tin cans:
Buy used: Convince yourself!
You didn’t get a VIN from the provider and you don’t have a test seal from DEKRA, ADAC or TÜV? This is still no reason from a potential scam to go out. Convince yourself of the condition of the car, take a friend with you and get an idea of the used car – either you take off your rose-colored glasses or you are more in love than ever.
Should you consider an electric car?, our colleague Felix Gräber listed the 6 deadly sins of buying a used car. From the battery to the charging cable to the brakes, there is a lot to consider. In addition, we clarify the question of whether there might even be another government funding in it, which subsidizes the purchase of a used e-car.
You can find out here which techniques are currently “in” when selling used cars:
