Enter the VIN of the Toyota you are thinking of buying and check what its records say.
A used Toyota can be almost anything on paper. Our data lists 146 models, from the Aygo and Yaris-sized runabouts to the Alphard, the Camry and the Century, and the version data reaches back to 1935. That spread means two cars with the same badge can have very different ages, mileages and histories.
A check by VIN helps you compare what the seller says with what is on record, such as damage, mileage readings, theft entries and ownership changes, where available. The Toyota VIN decoder shows what is encoded in the number itself, while a history report looks at what has happened to that particular car. Neither one tells you how the car drives or what shape it is in today.
Records are shown where available. Coverage may vary by country and vehicle.
Start with the question of which car you are actually looking at. The model list includes the Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Rumion, Auris, Avensis, C-HR, Camry, Carina, Celica, Caldina and Chaser, and that is only part of it. Body styles in our data run from hatchback, sedan, wagon and estate to SUV, van, coupe and convertible. A used Corolla and a used Celsior sit in completely different price brackets, so a price that looks fair for one model can be a warning sign for another.
Then think about where the car has been. VIN codes we know for this brand come from Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Belgium, Turkey, Thailand, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa and Australia. A car may have been built in one country, sold in another and registered a third time somewhere else. When that happens, its records can be spread across borders, and a seller may not know or mention all of it. Coverage can vary by country and by vehicle, so a report shows what is available, not necessarily everything.
Some things are hard to judge on a visit. A short test drive and a few photos will not reliably tell you whether the mileage has been altered or whether an earlier accident was repaired. The seller's story and the paperwork can also differ from the records. Running a check before you travel or pay a deposit costs little compared with a wrong purchase. Once the records look consistent, still have a mechanic inspect the car, because a history report covers records and not current technical condition.
Copy it from the advert, the papers or the car itself.
You continue on the report page and choose how to pay.
Compare them with the seller's account and decide with the facts in front of you.
The VIN decoder reads the manufacturer code, model year and country of manufacture of a Toyota. It does not show the history of the car.
Toyota VIN decoderDepending on what is available for the vehicle, it can show records such as damage, mileage readings, theft entries, ownership changes and technical data. Coverage may vary by country and vehicle, so some reports will be fuller than others.
No. The VIN tells you what is encoded in the number, such as where the car was built and which version it is. It does not tell you what happened to the car afterwards, which is what a history report is for.
It is a sensible order. If the records already conflict with the advert, you can save the trip or ask the seller specific questions. A check before a visit or deposit costs little next to a wrong purchase.
Missing records mean nothing was found, not that nothing happened. Coverage varies by country and vehicle, so treat gaps as a reason to ask more questions and to have the car inspected carefully.
Expect its history to span more than one country, since this brand's VIN codes we know come from places as far apart as Japan, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States. Ask the seller where the car was first registered, and compare that with the records and the import paperwork.
Enter the VIN and continue to the report.