2014 FORD F350 SUPER DUTY VIN 1FT8W3AT7EEA98238

This Ford F350 Super Duty was built in 2014. The drivetrain combines an automatic gearbox with rear-wheel drive. Under the bonnet is a 6.7-litre diesel engine.

A single figure proves little: what makes a mileage believable is a series of readings that rise steadily over the years.

When the car was recorded, it showed side damage. 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. Whatever the cause, a diagnostic scan of the car’s electronics shows fault codes that a visual check misses.

A key is on file for the car.

A clean title is on file for this car. Nothing on the title points to a total loss or a flood.

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. Much of a car’s past cannot be seen: a good body repair leaves no obvious mark, and neither do years of hard driving.

Regular oil changes and timely work on the timing belt or chain decide how well an engine copes with age. A diesel used mainly for short trips may need attention to its particulate filter, EGR valve or injectors. Automatic transmissions, CVTs included, are expensive to repair, so the test drive should include pulling away from a standstill and a stretch at motorway speed.

A VIN never contains the letters I, O or Q, which could be mistaken for digits; its 17 characters identify the maker, the model and the individual car. The VIN of this Ford F350 Super Duty is 1FT8W3AT7EEA98238. Scratches, fresh paint or a replaced plate around the VIN markings are warning signs in their own right.

What a history report can list depends on what has been documented about the car: registrations, mileage readings, damage, branded titles and theft reports. The past is on file; the car’s condition today is a job for a mechanic, who can check the structure, underbody, electrics and any repairs on a lift. With this 2014 Ford F350 Super Duty, the first step is a look at the history behind VIN 1FT8W3AT7EEA98238.