How to Check a Car's Maintenance Records?
2 Answers
Methods for checking a car's maintenance records: Visit a 4S shop to inquire. Most car brand 4S shops have a nationwide networked vehicle file system. Typically, you need to go in person and provide materials, purchase invoices, and other credentials. Checking maintenance records is a very important task when purchasing a used car. Through these records, you can learn about a car's history and whether the previous owner took good care of the vehicle. A car's maintenance records mainly refer to those kept by the 4S shop. From the moment a brand-new car is handed over to a customer, any work items and details performed on the vehicle in the shop will be archived. For example, when the car had its first maintenance, when major or minor maintenance was performed, the reason for the first repair, down to the labor cost and the type of engine oil used for maintenance, up to which body parts were replaced—all can be checked.
Last time I helped a friend check the maintenance records, I found it quite interesting. The simplest way is to ask the previous owner or dealer for the records. If you didn't get them when buying the car, you can use the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to check services like Carfax online. After entering the VIN, you can see details such as maintenance and accident reports. This is commonly used in the used car market, costing about a few dozen dollars per check, which is quite convenient. Alternatively, you can directly contact the repair shop, as they keep electronic records, but you may need to prove you're the owner. I recommend taking photos and saving invoices during regular maintenance, so you can provide complete records to future buyers when selling the car. Checking records helps avoid buying a car with accident history and lets you understand the car's health condition—it's worth spending some extra time. It's best to start with free methods, like asking the seller for original documents, to save time and effort.
