2016 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN LTZ VIN 1GNSKJKC8GR265147

The Chevrolet Suburban LTZ described here left the factory in 2016. Power comes from a 5.3-litre petrol engine with eight cylinders. Power reaches the wheels through an automatic gearbox. Every figure for this car is given as it appears in the source data.

The clock stood at 162,664 miles when the data was entered. Miles and kilometres are easy to confuse, and a distance in miles looks lower than the same distance in kilometres. A car that has covered this much distance for its age has worked hard, and a mechanic should judge the wear accordingly. Gaps of several years between logged figures deserve attention, as does any reading lower than the one before it. A service book or a folder of workshop invoices is the simplest place to find past readings.

Primary damage in the record: front end. A damage entry is a starting point for the inspection, telling the mechanic where to look first. Some damage shows its consequences only later: corroded connectors and electrical faults can surface months afterwards.

When it was checked, the car could not be driven. The engine could be started. A key was noted with the car.

According to the source data, the car has a salvage title. Titles of this type are issued to cars declared a total loss. If any work has been done on the car since, photos and invoices should show what was replaced.

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. 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.

On a petrol engine, spark plugs, ignition coils and the cooling system are the routine items a service history should cover. With no test drive possible, the automatic gearbox has to be assessed on a lift and with diagnostic equipment.

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. This car’s identification number is 1GNSKJKC8GR265147. A VIN that differs between the documents and the car, or shows signs of tampering, is reason enough to walk away.

A VIN report shows what has been logged: earlier registrations, odometer figures, damage entries, branded titles and theft checks, wherever such data exists. Paperwork is only as complete as the people who kept it, so a report with few entries lowers the risk without removing it. However complete the paperwork, only an inspection shows the condition of the body, suspension, brakes and electrics today. With this 2016 Chevrolet Suburban LTZ, the first step is a look at the history behind VIN 1GNSKJKC8GR265147.