2014 FORD EDGE SEL VIN 2FMDK3JC1EBA04128

This Ford Edge SEL is a 2014 model, finished in blue. The drivetrain combines an automatic gearbox with front-wheel drive. Power comes from a 3.5-litre petrol engine with six cylinders. Details for this car come from a single data source and may differ from its documents.

The recorded mileage is 153,364 miles. The instruments count in miles; the same distance in kilometres is about 1.6 times the figure. 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.

This Ford Edge SEL is recorded with flood damage. Whether the damage has been repaired since, and how well, is not something a damage entry can show. With flood damage on file, the inspection should start with the wiring, connectors and electronics, and any corrosion under the carpets.

As a non-runner, the car needs its engine, gearbox and electrics assessed before anything else. An engine that will not start could have a simple electrical fault or internal damage, and only diagnostic work can tell which. A key was noted with the car.

The car carries a salvage title. At some point in its life, the car was declared a total loss. If any work has been done on the car since, photos and invoices should show what was replaced.

Registrations, changes of owner, inspection results and accident claims together make up what is called a car’s history. What a car has been through is seldom visible at first glance, and a respray can make even a badly damaged car look sound.

On a petrol engine, spark plugs, ignition coils and the cooling system are the routine items a service history should cover. On a car that does not run, the automatic gearbox cannot be judged on the road; the colour and smell of its fluid and a diagnostic scan give the first clues.

A history check works by VIN because the number never changes, unlike registration plates and owners. This Ford Edge SEL has the VIN 2FMDK3JC1EBA04128. A VIN that differs between the documents and the car, or shows signs of tampering, is reason enough to walk away.

Depending on what is on file, a VIN report may include past registrations, mileage readings, damage entries, branded titles and theft checks. 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. Before going any further with this Ford Edge SEL, it makes sense to look up VIN 2FMDK3JC1EBA04128.