2014 GMC ACADIA DENALI VIN 1GKKVTKDXEJ169945

This GMC Acadia Denali was built in 2014. There is an automatic gearbox, with all-wheel drive. Under the bonnet is a 3.6-litre petrol engine. The specification is taken from the source data and has not been checked against other documents.

The car was recorded with 146,865 miles on the clock. 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.

In the source data, the main issue is minor dents and scratches. A damage type says what kind of damage the car had, not how serious it was or whether it has been repaired since. With minor dents and scratches on file, the inspection should start with the paintwork and whether any dent has reached the metal underneath.

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

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

For the engine, the service history matters most: oil changes, filters and the timing belt or chain are the entries to look for. On a petrol engine, spark plugs, ignition coils and the cooling system are the routine items a service history should cover. The automatic gearbox should respond smoothly and without delay; jerks, slipping or hesitation on a test drive need investigating. A car with all-wheel drive has extra differentials and often a transfer case, which an inspection should cover alongside the engine and gearbox.

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 on file for this car is 1GKKVTKDXEJ169945. Scratches, fresh paint or a replaced plate around the VIN markings are warning signs in their own right.

A VIN report shows what has been logged: earlier registrations, odometer figures, damage entries, branded titles and theft checks, wherever such data exists. No report is complete: a repair done privately and never claimed on insurance leaves nothing to find. 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 1GKKVTKDXEJ169945.