2012 HONDA CROSSTOUR EXL VIN 5J6TF1H59CL000206

The Honda Crosstour EXL described here left the factory in 2012. Power comes from a 3.5-litre petrol engine with six cylinders, rated at 271 hp. There is an automatic gearbox, with front-wheel drive.

At the time of recording, the car had covered 188,910 miles. Gaps of several years between logged figures deserve attention, as does any reading lower than the one before it. Figures carry most weight when they come from independent sources: workshops, inspection stations and past title paperwork.

The record lists minor dents and scratches as the main problem on this car. A damage entry is a starting point for the inspection, telling the mechanic where to look first. Given the kind of damage entered, a mechanic should look first at 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. A condition note describes the car at one moment; months of standing or later work on the car can change the picture in either direction.

A salvage title is on file for this car. A title like this is issued when repair was judged uneconomical or unsafe. If any work has been done on the car since, photos and invoices should show what was replaced.

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. A car’s paperwork is scattered: the registry knows about owners, the workshop about repairs and the insurance company about claims. What a car has been through is seldom visible at first glance, and a respray can make even a badly damaged car look sound.

For the engine, the service history matters most: oil changes, filters and the timing belt or chain are the entries to look for. A petrol engine in good order starts cleanly, idles evenly and pulls without hesitation. The automatic gearbox needs its fluid changed at the manufacturer’s intervals, and invoices should show that it was.

The tenth character of the VIN stands for the model year, and the eleventh for the plant that built the car. For this car, the VIN is 5J6TF1H59CL000206.

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. The history behind VIN 5J6TF1H59CL000206 is the natural starting point before any decision about this Honda Crosstour EXL.