2020 CHEVROLET TRAX FWD LT VIN KL7CJLSBXLB330177

This record covers a 2020 Chevrolet Trax FWD LT. The gearbox is automatic, with front-wheel drive. Under the bonnet is a 1.4-litre petrol engine producing 138 hp. Every figure for this car is given as it appears in the source data.

The record gives the mileage as 51,264 miles. A clock converted from miles to kilometres should be documented, since the swap can hide the true mileage. A single figure proves little: what makes a mileage believable is a series of readings that rise steadily over the years. 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 damage to the left side. The damage type is a short label: the extent of the damage and the quality of any repair still have to be judged on the car. Whatever the cause, a diagnostic scan of the car’s electronics shows fault codes that a visual check misses.

A ‘runs and drives’ note means the car moved under its own power when it was checked. A key was present.

A salvage title is on file for this car. Titles of this type are issued to cars declared a total loss. A branded title follows the car through every change of owner, so it remains part of its history.

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. Much of a car’s past cannot be seen: a good body repair leaves no obvious mark, and neither do years of hard driving.

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. 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.

The VIN is a 17-character code assigned at the factory: it identifies the manufacturer, the model and its variant, and ends with a serial number unique to the car. For this car, the VIN is KL7CJLSBXLB330177. 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. A VIN check and a physical inspection answer different questions: the first says what happened to the car, the second what condition it is in now. Before making a decision about this Chevrolet Trax FWD LT, check the history behind VIN KL7CJLSBXLB330177.