Reading a vehicle history report like a pro

A history report is a great first filter, but it’s not the whole story. Here’s what we look at before we buy a car for the lot.

Owners: fewer is generally better, but a one-owner lease return with dealer maintenance beats a three-owner car with gaps. Service records matter more than the count.

Title brands: salvage, rebuilt, flood, and lemon titles are immediate pass-ons for our inventory. Minor accidents with quality repairs are fine — that’s most used cars on any lot.

Mileage consistency: the report should show mileage increasing at a plausible rate at each inspection, registration, and service entry. A dip means rollback. We walk away.

Every AutoMart listing links its own report. If you want help reading one, ask — we’d rather explain it than have you guess.