2017 JEEP CHEROKEE SPORT VIN 1C4PJMAB0HW664214

This Jeep Cherokee Sport was built in 2017. Power reaches the wheels through an automatic gearbox. The car runs on petrol. Every figure for this car is given as it appears in the source data.

The clock stood at 63,482 miles when the data was entered. The figure is in miles and needs converting before it is compared with kilometres: one mile is about 1.6 km. The number on the clock proves little by itself; earlier figures logged at services and inspections are what make it believable. Service invoices and inspection reports each carry a mileage figure, and lined up in order they show whether the clock tells the truth.

No damage type appears in the source data; that shows what was entered, not what the car has been through. Paint depth, panel gaps and the underbody show whether the body has been repaired.

A key was present.

A transfer document in place of a title is on file for this car. Without a title certificate, registering the car can take extra paperwork and checks.

Behind every used car lies a string of events: who owned it and for how long, what the inspections found and which repairs and claims were made. A clean, polished car can still hide a serious accident, a flood or years of hard use.

A cold start, the colour of the exhaust smoke and any oil leaks tell a mechanic a good deal about how an engine has been treated. A petrol engine in good order starts cleanly, idles evenly and pulls without hesitation. The automatic gearbox should respond smoothly and without delay; jerks, slipping or hesitation on a test drive need investigating. With four-wheel drive, mismatched tyres can strain the centre differential or coupling, so all four should be the same make and similarly worn.

The VIN is a 17-character code assigned at the factory: it identifies the manufacturer, the model and its variant, and ends with a serial number unique to the car. This Jeep Cherokee Sport has the VIN 1C4PJMAB0HW664214. 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 repair paid for in cash at a small workshop leaves no trace in any database, so no report can list it. A professional inspection makes sense whatever the paperwork shows, because no report measures corrosion, worn bushes or a poor repair. Before any decision, check what is known about VIN 1C4PJMAB0HW664214.