2014 CADILLAC ATS VIN 1G6AA5RXXE0181181

The Cadillac ATS described here left the factory in 2014. Under the bonnet is a 2.0-litre petrol engine. The drivetrain combines an automatic gearbox with rear-wheel drive. The specification is taken from the source data.

The record gives the mileage as 120,411 miles. Because the clock counts miles, any figure noted in kilometres has to be converted before the two can be compared. A later figure lower than an earlier one points to a replaced instrument cluster or an odometer that has been wound back.

The source data names no primary damage. That shows only that none was entered, so the body still deserves a close look. Paint depth, panel gaps and the underbody show whether the body has been repaired.

The record notes that the car ran and drove. A key is on file for the car.

Registrations, changes of owner, inspection results and accident claims together make up what is called a car’s history. The paperwork is kept by different bodies – registries, workshops, insurance companies and lenders – so the history of one car is spread across many places. 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. On a petrol engine, a rough idle, misfires or a warning light on the dashboard need looking into. 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.

Stamped into the body and printed on a plate, the VIN is the one identifier that stays with a car through every owner, registration and repair. For this car, the VIN is 1G6AA5RXXE0181181. The number in the car’s documents should match the one stamped into the body and the one on the plate at the base of the windscreen.

A VIN report gathers what different sources know about a car, such as the number of owners, mileage readings, damage and any branded title. 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. Look up the history of VIN 1G6AA5RXXE0181181 first, and let what it shows guide the inspection.