2012 BMW X5 XDRIVE35I VIN 5UXZV4C5XCL766455

This BMW X5 XDRIVE35I was built in 2012. The gearbox is automatic. The car runs on petrol. Every figure for this car is given as it appears in the source data.

The clock stood at 124,642 miles when the data was entered. 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.

In the source data, the main issue is minor dents and scratches. Whether the damage has been repaired since, and how well, is not something a damage entry can show.

At the time of recording, the car ran and drove. A key was noted with the car.

A clean title is on file for this car. With a clean title the car can be registered and insured in the usual way.

A car’s history is the sum of what has happened to it since it was new, and most of it has left a trace on paper somewhere. A car’s paperwork is scattered: the registry knows about owners, the workshop about repairs and the insurance company about claims. From the outside, a car with a repaired accident and a car without one can look identical.

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 automatic gearbox should respond smoothly and without delay; jerks, slipping or hesitation on a test drive need investigating. A car with all-wheel drive has extra differentials and often a transfer case, which an inspection should cover alongside the engine and gearbox.

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 on file for this car is 5UXZV4C5XCL766455. 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. A professional inspection makes sense whatever the paperwork shows, because no report measures corrosion, worn bushes or a poor repair. Look up the history of VIN 5UXZV4C5XCL766455 first, and let what it shows guide the inspection.