How we sum up a car's whole history in one simple read
Our condition overview is built from dozens of checks. We open it up so you can trust it, not just see it.
VIN Analyser
Every VIN Analyser report opens with a single condition score from 0 to 100. A number that compact is only useful if you trust what is behind it, so we treat the scoring formula as something to explain rather than hide. A score you cannot interrogate is just a colour with a digit attached, and that is not what we set out to build.
The four pillars behind the score
The headline figure is a weighted blend of four pillars, each scored independently before they are combined. Keeping them separate means a strong area cannot quietly mask a weak one, and it lets you see at a glance whether a car is uniformly solid or excellent in some respects while flagged in others.
- History integrity: consistency of mileage, ownership and registration records.
- Mechanical risk: model-level reliability data and any reported damage events.
- Market position: how the asking price sits against comparable listings.
- Documentation: completeness of service, inspection and title records.
Each pillar draws on a different slice of the data pipeline, which is deliberate. If one source is thin or contested, only the pillar that relies on it loses confidence, rather than the whole score wobbling on a single weak input.
Why weighting matters
Not every pillar deserves equal influence. A title problem is close to a veto, so it weighs far more than a single missing service stamp. We tune the weights against outcomes, not opinions, recalibrating as new data arrives and as we learn which signals actually predicted trouble down the line.
A clean coat of paint and a clean title are not the same thing. The score is built to tell them apart.
Confidence travels with the score
A score built on thin data is not the same as one built on a complete history. We attach a confidence indicator so a 78 from a rich record reads differently from a 78 inferred from gaps, and we never round a guess up to look decisive. The honest answer is often a number plus a caveat, and we refuse to drop the caveat to look cleaner.
What the score deliberately leaves out
The score measures what the data can support, not what a test drive will tell you. Cabin smell, clutch feel, the way a car tracks on the motorway: these stay your job. The score exists to point your attention, not to replace your own eyes and ears.
How the score changes over time
A condition score is not carved in stone the day it is generated. As fresh records arrive, a new service stamp, an updated inspection, a corrected registration, the pillars recompute and the headline shifts. A car that scored a cautious 74 on a thin record can climb once its documentation fills in, and one that looked solid can slip if a damage event surfaces later. The score reflects what is known now, not what was known once.
How to act on the number
The score is a triage tool, not a final answer. Use it to rank candidates quickly, then drill into the pillar breakdown for the cars that survive the first cut. The components are always one click away from the headline, so the summary never becomes a wall you cannot see behind.
Two cars can share a score for opposite reasons, one strong everywhere and one excellent in three pillars but flagged in the fourth. The breakdown is where you decide which trade-off you can live with, and it is the part of the report that turns a number into a decision.