2021 HYUNDAI KONA LIMITED VIN KM8K33AG3MU128756

This Hyundai Kona Limited was built in 2021. In place of a gearbox there is a single-speed reduction gear, and the car has front-wheel drive. Power comes from electricity alone. Details for this car come from a single data source and may differ from its documents.

The source data puts the mileage at 56,249 miles. Because the clock counts miles, any figure noted in kilometres has to be converted before the two can be compared. Turning back an odometer takes little skill and leaves no visible trace, which is why earlier figures matter more than the display. 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 rear-end damage 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. Damage rarely stays where it is first seen: an impact can reach the mountings and airbags behind a panel, and water or fire the wiring and electronics.

The record notes that the car ran and drove. A key was there when the car was checked. Months of standing can leave a car with seized brakes and perished tyres.

The record shows a salvage title. A title like this is issued when repair was judged uneconomical or unsafe. Once issued, a branded title stays with the VIN for good, and it affects registration and insurance for every later owner.

Registrations, changes of owner, inspection results and accident claims together make up what is called a car’s history. A car’s paperwork is scattered: the registry knows about owners, the workshop about repairs and the insurance company about claims. A clean, polished car can still hide a serious accident, a flood or years of hard use.

On an electric car the health of the high-voltage battery matters more than the distance covered, and a capacity test by a dealer or specialist shows how much of its original capacity is left. Software updates and any battery or motor work carried out under warranty should appear in the car’s service history.

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 KM8K33AG3MU128756. 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 history report says nothing about the car’s present condition: the frame, corrosion, electrics and the quality of any repair are judged on a lift by a mechanic. Before any decision, check what is known about VIN KM8K33AG3MU128756.