The number that can't lie
| Check | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Number plate | Who it's registered to, tax status. Can be swapped in minutes. |
| VIN | The actual identity of the car. Stamped in. Hard to fake. |
| What to do | Match the VIN on the car to the V5C. Every time. |
You look up the MOT history. No advisories, low mileage, looks great. You part with your money.
Then it turns out the number plate never belonged to the car you bought at all.
VIN stands for Vehicle Identification Number. It's how we identify the car itself.
A number plate tells you something different — often who the car is registered to, or whether it's taxed. Administrative facts, attached to the car rather than part of it.
Another thing about number plates: they can be altered or swapped. A VIN is harder to mess about with, because it's stamped into the chassis of the car, and etched into the windows.
This means that if a car is stolen and given a makeover — new colour, new plate — the real identity of the car is harder to erase.
You look up the MOT history on gov.uk and the car looks great. No advisories, nice low mileage, and you part with your pennies.
But it turns out that number plate didn't belong to the car you bought at all. The car you actually bought had been to the moon and back, with the odometer disconnected, then crashed, then sold as salvage — and you were completely none the wiser, because the car you checked was faultless.
The report wasn't wrong. It just described a different car to the one sitting on the driveway.
So how do you know for sure that the car in front of you is the car you think it is? You check the vehicle identification number — an indelible stamp that links firmly to the car's history.
Find it: usually on a small plate near the windscreen on the driver's side, stamped into the engine bay or chassis, and printed on the V5C. Match it against the V5C in the seller's hand, in person, before any money moves. Don't accept a photo of the document as proof — hold it next to the metal yourself.
A worthwhile distinction here: even a riveted VIN plate can, in theory, be peeled off and swapped by someone determined enough. What can't be faked without serious effort is the VIN stamped directly into the chassis. If you want to be thorough, that's the one to check.
Every full report shows you the last five digits of the VIN on file, so you can stand at the car and confirm they match what's stamped into the metal. Ten seconds, and it's the difference between checking a car and checking the car.
It matters for more than peace of mind. Reports carrying our data guarantee rely on it — if the VIN hasn't been checked, the guarantee can't be claimed against. That's how it works with Experian. Checking it isn't a box-ticking extra. It's the step that keeps you covered if something does turn out to be wrong.
One limit worth knowing: this only works when you can stand at the car. If you're buying at a distance, with the car delivered to you, there's no moment to check the VIN against the metal before money changes hands — so the guarantee doesn't extend to those purchases. Worth bearing in mind if you're buying unseen.
Run the free check — or see exactly what's in the full report.