1998 DODGE RAM 1500 VIN 3B7HF13Z9WG228858

This record covers a 1998 Dodge RAM 1500, finished in blue. Power reaches the wheels through an automatic gearbox. The car runs on petrol. Every figure for this car is given as it appears in the source data.

At the time of recording, the car had covered 177,036 miles. A clock converted from miles to kilometres should be documented, since the swap can hide the true mileage. Turning back an odometer takes little skill and leaves no visible trace, which is why earlier figures matter more than the display.

The record lists rear-end damage as the main problem on this car. A damage entry is a starting point for the inspection, telling the mechanic where to look first.

A key was there when the car was checked.

A car’s history is everything logged against it since it left the factory: registrations and owners, inspections, repairs and insurance 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.

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, 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.

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 Dodge RAM 1500 is 3B7HF13Z9WG228858. A VIN that differs between the documents and the car, or shows signs of tampering, is reason enough to walk away.

Where entries exist, a VIN check can show changes of owner, past mileage readings, reported damage and whether the car is listed as stolen. 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 1998 Dodge RAM 1500, the first step is a look at the history behind VIN 3B7HF13Z9WG228858.