Getting a vehicle history report for your Ford Escort is a wise idea. It may prevent you from making a big mistake and losing a lot of money.
You may be able to obtain a vehicle history report from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in your state. Or you can get one from private companies like the ones listed on this webpage. You have to pay a nominal feel to get a vehicle history report for your Ford Escort from either of these sources. Private companies charge between $20 and $60 dollars, depending upon the detail you request on the report.
For the lesser fee, the vehicle history report shows whether or not the Escort was ever considered totaled (see below), a "lemon" under certain state laws, a salvage vehicle (see below), a junked vehicle, whether the odometer has ever been reported as rolled back, etc. The higher-priced report also includes a title search. A title search can reveal whether the title is actually "clear" - in other words has no liens or other legal encumbrances - so you can transfer it to your name upon taking possession of the Ford Escort you plan to buy. Check with your local DMV for a list of their history report fees and what they include.
Having a vehicle history report for your Ford Escort is assuring. The report will tell you whether the car has ever been considered a salvage" vehicle at one time, which means it was damaged in a flood, fire, hailstorm or by some other means. In other words, it may have been damaged to the point where it needed extensive repair in order to be placed back on the market. But the vehicle was considered repairable.
If the Escort is listed at one point as being "totaled," this most likely means that it sustained extensive structural damage and was not worth repairing. "Totaled" should raise a large caution flag for you if you are considering purchasing such a vehicle. This means that the Ford Escort has not been through the normal wear and tear of everyday driving and probably had sustained substantial damage from an accident, a fire, or some other cause.
The DMV or company from where you are going to get your report will ask you for vehicle identification number (VIN). Locate this 16-digit VIN on the driver's side dashboard of your Ford Escort (you can see it through the windshield) or the driver's side door frame.
One advantage of obtaining your VIN online is that it is fast and easy. You don't have to drive anywhere or wait in line. The information is literally at your fingertips, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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