Free Washington VIN Check & Vehicle History Report

Buying a Used Car in the State of Washington? Read this before you buy!

Washington state is full of diverse landscape, from picturesque coastal cities like Seattle to the dry eastern plains. State’s natural beauty and economy attract businesses and people from all over the country. However, if you are planning to buy a car from the Evergreen State, it is vital to keep in mind that there are more risks lurking under the hood than many buyers realize. Whether you’re purchasing from a small-town seller or a large dealership, the used car market in Washington is not without its dangers.

One of the most pressing concerns is the threat of inadvertently buying a vehicle with flood damage. The reason this has become such a concerning problem is the fact that the rates of floods in the state have been growing in recent years. While Washington itself doesn’t often experience large-scale flooding, vehicles from flood-prone regions like the Gulf Coast or Midwest frequently end up in Washington’s used car lots. In 2023 alone there were almost 400,000 damaged vehicles on U.S. roads and many of them found their way to states far from where the damage occurred. Washington’s diverse geography itself can further complicate the issue. A car that looks spotless in dry, eastern regions like Spokane may have spent years exposed to heavy rain and road salt in the western half of the state. These cars may appear cosmetically perfect, hiding serious electrical faults, drivetrain damage, mold contamination and corroded safety systems—issues that could cost thousands to repair.

Further exacerbating the problem are rust and corrosion affecting vehicles that spend their lives close to coastal areas. In areas like Seattle, Tacoma and the Olympic Peninsula, salty sea air accelerates rusting on undercarriages, brake lines and other vital parts. Beyond causing serious damage to various vehicle systems, when left untreated, corrosion can severely compromise a vehicle’s structural integrity and safety.

Another issue affecting Washington’s used car market is fraud and deception. One of the most popular types of car scams has to do with title fraud. Most commonly, title fraud occurs when the disingenuous seller retitles the vehicle in a different state in an effort to remove any possible title brands. Most common title brands include salvage and flood titles and through some dishonest practices, the seller may be able to have those removed from the vehicle’s title. This practice essentially wipes away any mention of prior total loss even, from the title and is considered highly illegal and plainly wrong. Because Washington borders several states with different titling laws, it's easier for unscrupulous sellers to exploit the system for their own gain. By misrepresenting the vehicle’s history, they can artificially inflate the vehicle’s value and overall market desirability. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that tens of thousands of cars every year are illegally re-titled to hide serious damage. These vehicles are then sold to unsuspecting buyers.

Further compounding the problem is the state’s minimal oversight in private car sales, which make up a significant portion of Washington’s used vehicle transactions. Unlike dealer sales, private transactions come with no implied warranty or legal recourse once the deal is done. In 2023, Washington reported over 1.6 million vehicle sales statewide, with private sales accounting for a significant share. Most of the private party sales are most commonly sold “as-is,” meaning that once the car changes hands, the buyer is fully responsible for any declared or undeclared and hidden defects.

2 simple steps you need to take before buying a car in Washington:

While buying a pre-owned vehicle is often the most logical financial decision for many consumers, it requires some due diligence. The truth of the matter is most used cars will not come with an itemized maintenance history and ownership records and without knowing this information, it can be quite difficult to know what a vehicle has really been through. This is where the 2-step car buying process can help elevate some of those risks.

1. The first step of any used car buying process in the state of Washington should always be to investigate the vehicle’s history records. The way you can accomplish this is with the use of a vehicle history report in Washington. This report combines data reported by the DMV, insurance companies and the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) into one easy to read report. A vehicle history report in WA can identify information never disclosed by the seller, everything from prior total loss claims, accidents, open liens, sale history, title brands and post-accident photos. By doing a simple Washington Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) check, you may be able to help better understand the vehicle’s history and how it affects its current value and safety.
2. While doing a vehicle history check is an essential part of any used car buying process, it should not act as a substitute for an actual professional in-person vehicle inspection conducted by a trusted, local automotive technician. The history report can give you a picture of the vehicle’s past; a pre-purchase vehicle inspection can give you a clear understanding of the vehicle’s present condition. This type of inspection may uncover potentially hidden issues like excessive corrosion, electrical faults, drivetrain problems and more. Having a clear understanding of the vehicle’s faults and issues can help provide some leverage during price negotiations and help budget for future repairs. It can also help you understand when the best course of action is simply to walk away.

At the end of the day, buying a car may be a significant decision with many perils; with the proper research and due diligence, it is possible to make an informed car buying decision. The key thing to remember is no matter how good the deal may appear; it is important not to act impulsively and always employ the use of the two-step system before finalizing the sale.