Used-car peace of mind -- cheap

Only 13 states are fully participating; 14 more are contributing data to the registry but not using it to issue titles. An additional 10 are working on participating, and 13, plus the District of Columbia, aren't playing ball at all.

"The regulations were just issued," Gupta says, "so I have some sympathy for these states." He's inclined to cut them slack for a while. States must fund their participation without federal help, and no one has enforced the law until now.

DMV data sales to private vendors have been a source of revenue for states, which are under historic fiscal pressures. At least three -- California, Pennsylvania and New York -- have agreed to contribute records to the registry but will let only other governments and commercial vendors see them, not consumers.

What to do before you buy

While the change is encouraging, prudent consumers will consult not only the registry but also the helpful but imperfect patchwork of private and industry services that's developed over the years:

• Your first stops: The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System($2.50, through aligned vendors) and VINCheck, the National Insurance Crime Bureau's online database (free but limited to five inquiries per day).
• Carfax's Vehicle History Report (single report $24.99, 10 reports $29.99, unlimited use for $34.99, reports posted free by many auto dealers).
• Experian's AutoCheck Vehicle History Report (single report $19.99, 60-day unlimited use $24.99).

Carfax and Experian pull reports from police departments, state motor vehicle agencies and large networks of dealers, as well as from insurers. But every VIN-check service must contend with gaps because not all cities and counties share stolen- and wrecked-vehicle reports, and some states don't release lists of salvaged cars -- or they release lists three to six months late, by which time a salvaged car could be sitting in your driveway.

In addition to a VIN check, consumer experts urge buyers to consult a good mechanic to find welds, rust and other clues to a vehicle's troubled history.

Select the make and model vehicle you want first and then -- before shopping for vehicles -- identify the best technicians in your area specializing in that vehicle, Shahan advises. She tells how:

• Get names from friends, colleagues and other mechanics you respect.

• Check the Mechanics Files, a list of 1,600 mechanics recommended by listeners of National Public Radio's "Car Talk." The free online search lets you specify a vehicle make.

• Check Angie's List ($4.50 to $8.75 a month, depending on your locale), which has consumer reviews of auto experts in 124 cities and 22 categories, including auto inspections.

If you buy a VIN-check service, you can find useful information beyond the car's title status. Here's what to look for:

• Previous owners. If a car has had many previous owners, that can be a red flag. A 3-year-old car with four previous owners, for example, is likely to be a lemon that's been passed around. A car with just one previous owner is a safer bet, CarBuyingTips.com's Ostroff says.

• Ownership change. Carfax and AutoCheck show the date a vehicle has changed ownership. How can this help? A vehicle that's been on a car lot for 10 months is a liability to the dealer. You can use that information to bargain down the price. "The average car dealer wants to get rid of a car between 45 and 90 days," Ostroff says. "After that it becomes stale."

• Odometer discrepancies. Even a great mechanic can't tell you if a digital odometer has been rolled back. But a careful comparison between a VIN-check report and the vehicle's odometer sometimes shows a mysterious discrepancy. Say the car you're considering has 50,000 miles on the odometer. If the report shows it had 150,000 at one point in its life, steer clear.

Published Feb. 17, 2009

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