Free Wyoming VIN Check & Vehicle History Report

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

The state of Wyoming is full of wide-open spaces; unpaved roads and the harsh weather conditions can take a toll on not only the cars but also on the drivers. This is why owning a reliable vehicle, which is unlikely to get you stranded in the middle of nowhere, is a top priority for local used car buyers. However, the task of finding such a car in the state can be somewhat of a daunting task. Beneath the surface of many shiny used for-sale vehicles lurk risks that can catch unsuspecting buyers off guard. In a state where transportation is essential and distances between towns can be vast, a bad purchase can leave drivers stranded both literally and financially.

Amongst the primary risks in Wyoming’s used car market is undisclosed wear and tear from harsh driving conditions. Wyoming’s rugged landscapes, gravel roads and long winters can take a big toll on vehicles, especially those that spend their lives in more rural areas. Further compounding the issues of excessive wear and tear is corrosion caused by the road salt used during winter months. Corrosion can contribute to undercarriage rust and rot, particularly on older trucks and SUVs. It can compromise the vehicle’s structural rigidity and safety and damage vital components in the vehicle’s suspension, drivetrains and electrical systems.

How the vehicle is used also has a great deal to do with how the vehicle ages. The state has a strong agricultural sector with the largest average farm sizes in the entire country. Many vehicles are used on farmlands on unpaved roads while towing heavy loads. This type of use accelerates wear and tear, effectively shortening the vehicle’s useful lifespan, making it harder to find a good, lightly used vehicle, especially if you’re in the market for a truck or large SUV.

The issue of having an influx of below average condition used car inventory is contributed to by the fact that many areas in Wyoming have very limited access to repair shops and specialty mechanics, especially outside larger towns like Cheyenne and Casper. If a buyer ends up with a problematic used car, getting it properly repaired might involve long trips, expensive towing or waiting weeks for parts and service delays that are more than just inconvenient in a state where daily commutes and errands often cover long distances.

Another thing to look out for when buying a car in the state of Wyoming has to do with the high number of rebuilt and salvage titled vehicles flooding the local used car market. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), Wyoming has one of the higher rates of salvage title registrations per capita, due in part to vehicle accidents on icy roads and collisions with wildlife, especially deer and antelope, which account for thousands of crashes annually. In 2023, Wyoming reported over 6,500 wildlife-related vehicle collisions, according to state transportation data. Many of these damaged vehicles are repaired, rebranded with rebuilt titles, and sold to the next owner, sometimes without full disclosure of the extent of the previous damage.

In addition to being on the lookout for vehicles with a history of total loss, Wyoming used car buyers must also be aware of the risks associated with odometer fraud. Unfortunately, used car sale related fraud is quite common in Wyoming’s mostly rural, private-sale market. Without proper research it may be very difficult for buyers to verify a car’s true mileage and history.

2 Important steps you must take before buying a car in Wyoming:

While the risks of buying a used car with undisclosed mechanical, electrical or legal issues can feel a bit overwhelming for Wyoming used car shoppers, there is a way to greatly reduce those risks and make an informed buying decision.

1. The first step of any used car buying process should always be to research the histories of all of the potential candidates that you may be interested in purchasing. You can find out if the vehicle is hiding any potential issues that can affect its value, safety and long-term reliability with a simple Wyoming VIN Check (Vehicle Identification Number). By doing this search and generating a full Wyoming vehicle history report, you can uncover a treasure trove of information about practically any vehicle registered in the state. Vehicle history records can include past accident events, total loss claims, liens, sale history, title brands, ownership history and post-accident photos.
2. While generating a full vehicle history report in Wyoming may help identify issues in the vehicle’s past a professional pre-purchase vehicle inspection can give you a clear understanding of the vehicle’s current condition. Having a trusted, automotive technician inspect the car prior to purchase can help identify problems never reported to any insurance agency, DMV or vehicle data reporting businesses.  These potentially hidden issues can include everything from excessive corrosion, electrical faults, drivetrain problems to major safety system faults. Having a clear understand of the vehicle’s condition can help provide you with some leverage during price negotiations and help budget for future repairs. It can also help you understand when the best course of action is to simply walk away.   

At the end of the day, it is possible to buy a well sorted pre-owned vehicle in the state of Wyoming however, it does require some effort and due diligence. By following the 2 simple steps above before you buy, you can make it far less likely to end up with a vehicle with undisclosed issues.