Check a used car before you buy Free VIN decoder, history & AI inspection
Free VIN decoder, NHTSA-verified vehicle history, AI photo inspection, and open-recall lookup — everything you need to vet any used vehicle, in one place.
Not sure where to find the VIN? Here's the guide
12,346+
Recalls tracked
1349
Makes covered
6882+
Models decoded
56
States & territories
Start with whatever you have
A VIN you already know, a photo of the dashboard plate, or just the seller's listing photos. We handle all three.
Paste a VIN
If you have the 17-character VIN in front of you, paste it into the search above. You'll get specs, title history, accidents, recalls, and odometer — free preview in seconds.
Scan the VIN from a photo
No VIN typed out? Snap a photo of the dashboard plate, door-jamb sticker, or title. Our photo scanner extracts the 17 characters instantly — no typos, no missed characters.
Inspect from photos
Buying from out of state? Upload 3–8 photos and AI returns a structured condition report — visible damage, rust, paint mismatch, tire wear, and questions to ask the seller.
Everything in your vehicle history report
Every try.vin report covers the six areas that matter most when you're buying a used car.
Title History
Salvage, rebuilt, flood, fire, lemon buyback — every brand ever applied to the title, across all 50 states.
Accident Records
Reported collisions, structural damage, airbag deployments, and severity indicators from insurance and police reports.
Odometer Verification
Full mileage timeline with rollback detection. Know if the numbers add up before you buy.
Open Recalls
Active NHTSA safety recalls checked against federal databases in real time. Never drive an unsafe vehicle.
Theft Check
Active theft flags and lien records — make sure the vehicle you're buying is legally clear.
Specs & Equipment
Engine, transmission, drivetrain, trim level, factory options — decoded directly from the VIN.
AI used-car inspection from photos
Upload 3–8 photos of any used car. In about 15 seconds, Claude (Anthropic's vision AI) returns a structured condition report — visible damage, rust, paint mismatch, tire wear, interior wear, and specific questions to ask the seller before you commit.
- Spot paint mismatch, rust, and prior body repair
- Evaluate tire wear and curb rash from a single photo
- Flag interior wear inconsistent with claimed mileage
- Get specific, targeted questions for the seller
Well-kept sedan showing normal wear for its mileage. One moderate paint finding suggests prior body repair…
Driver fender — paint mismatch
Clear-coat texture and hue differ from adjacent panels.
Front tires — outer-edge wear
Likely alignment or suspension issue.
Three steps to peace of mind
Vetting a used car shouldn't take longer than a minute.
Paste, scan, or upload
Enter a 17-character VIN, snap a photo of the plate, or upload 3–8 photos of the car.
We decode & inspect
We decode specs, pull NHTSA records, cross-reference DMV and insurer data, and (for photos) run AI vision.
Review your report
Clear, actionable findings — title brands, accidents, recalls, visible condition, and seller questions.
Why try.vin
Legacy history-report services hide the basics behind paywalls. We don't.
Actually free
No credit card to see the basics. VIN decode, recall check, photo scan, AI inspection — all free, always.
NHTSA-direct data
Recalls and VIN-decode specs pulled live from the official federal database — the same source dealers use.
AI-powered inspection
Something legacy services don't offer: Claude Sonnet reads photos like an experienced appraiser.
Under 60 seconds
No signup, no forms, no callbacks. Paste, scan, or upload — results in the time it takes to open a coffee.
More free tools for used-car buyers
AI inspection, recall lookups, lemon-law guides, state-by-state VIN-check directories, and more — no account required.
AI Condition Report
Upload photos of a used car and get an AI inspection — damage, rust, paint mismatch, tire wear, and seller questions.
Recall Lookup
Search open safety recalls by make, model, and year. Powered by NHTSA data.
Lemon Law Guide
State-by-state lemon law coverage, filing requirements, and consumer rights explained.
VIN Check by State
State-specific vehicle history requirements, DMV resources, and title branding rules.
Auto Glossary
Plain-English definitions for every automotive and title term you'll encounter.
Who it's for
Anyone considering a used car — at any stage of the decision.
Private-party deals
Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp — run the VIN and the photos before you drive to meet a stranger with cash in hand.
Out-of-state purchases
Auction listings, online dealer inventory, cross-country finds — use the VIN history and AI photo inspection before you book a flight or a tow truck.
First-time buyers
Don't know what a repainted panel or a rollback mileage looks like? We do. Use every tool before you put money down.
Dealer listings
Before you drive across town for a test drive, run the listing's VIN and photos to vet the deal from your phone.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know before you run your first check.
Don't buy blind.
Every used car has a past. Make sure you know it before you sign.