2012 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5I LIMITED VIN 4S4BRCJC8C3284243

This entry is for a 2012 Subaru Outback 2.5I Limited, finished in silver. Under the bonnet is a 2.5-litre petrol engine. There is a CVT gearbox, with all-wheel drive. Every figure for this car is given as it appears in the source data.

The record gives the mileage as 156,248 miles. Miles and kilometres are easy to confuse, and a distance in miles looks lower than the same distance in kilometres. Gaps of several years between logged figures deserve attention, as does any reading lower than the one before it. Service invoices and inspection reports each carry a mileage figure, and lined up in order they show whether the clock tells the truth.

The record lists minor dents and scratches as the main problem on this car. Whether the damage has been repaired since, and how well, is not something a damage entry can show. A lift and a diagnostic check show what photos cannot: bent brackets behind a panel, chafed wiring or deployed airbags.

A ‘runs and drives’ note means the car moved under its own power when it was checked. A key was noted with the car. Months of standing can leave a car with seized brakes and perished tyres.

A clean title is on file for this car. Such a title means no salvage, flood or similar mark was recorded against the car; it does not rule out damage repaired without a claim.

Every car builds up a history from the day it is first registered: owners come and go, inspections are passed or failed, and repairs are paid for. Pieces of a car’s history sit with registries, dealers, workshops and insurance companies, and none of them sees the whole picture. What a car has been through is seldom visible at first glance, and a respray can make even a badly damaged car look sound.

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. A petrol engine in good order starts cleanly, idles evenly and pulls without hesitation. The CVT gearbox should respond smoothly and without delay; jerks, slipping or hesitation on a test drive need investigating. With all-wheel drive, mismatched tyres can strain the centre differential or coupling, so all four should be the same make and similarly worn.

A vehicle identification number has 17 characters: the first three name the manufacturer, the next six describe the model and its specification, and the last eight identify the individual car. For this car, the VIN is 4S4BRCJC8C3284243.

Where entries exist, a VIN check can show changes of owner, past mileage readings, reported damage and whether the car is listed as stolen. However complete the paperwork, only an inspection shows the condition of the body, suspension, brakes and electrics today. The history behind VIN 4S4BRCJC8C3284243 is the natural starting point before any decision about this Subaru Outback 2.5I Limited.