The TrulyCar Blog
Guides and checklists for smarter used-car buying: VIN checks, title brands, odometer fraud, and what the data really means.
How to Find Car Auction Photos by VIN (Copart & IAAI)
Find car auction photos by VIN using Copart and IAAI search, archive sites, and history reports. Step-by-step, plus fixes when the lot is gone.
Sep 13, 20268 min read
How to Check if Car Was in an Accident (Police + Insurance)
How to check if car was in an accident using police crash reports, insurance total loss records, NMVTIS title data, and salvage auction photo archives.
Sep 13, 20269 min read
Can You Find a License Plate Number From a VIN?
Usually not, and the reason is federal privacy law. Here is who can legitimately pull a plate from a VIN, what a VIN does reveal, and what to do for tolls, tickets, and hit-and-runs.
Sep 9, 20267 min read
How to Check if Car Was in an Accident: 9 Steps
How to check if car was in an accident: pull title and total loss records, request the police crash report, read auction photos, and verify the repairs.
Sep 8, 20269 min read
How to Spot Odometer Rollback Before You Buy
Learn how to spot odometer rollback with a records-first check: title brands, mileage chronology, wear clues, and what to do when the numbers don't line up.
Sep 8, 20269 min read
Title Washing Explained: How Salvage Cars Go Clean
Title washing turns a salvage car into a clean-titled one on paper. Here's a 9-step check to catch a washed title before you hand over money.
Sep 4, 20269 min read
How to Spot a Flood Damaged Car From Out of State
Learn how to spot a flood damaged car shipped across state lines: title brands, NMVTIS flood checks, auction photos, and the 9 physical signs sellers miss.
Sep 3, 20268 min read
Cheap VIN Check Traps: TrulyCar vs EpicVIN vs Bumper
A cheap VIN check can cost more than a $45 report if it auto-renews. Compare TrulyCar, EpicVIN and Bumper on price, data and cancellation.
Sep 3, 20267 min read
Best Vehicle History Report Site: $16.99, No Subscription
Picking the best vehicle history report site? Compare one-time $16.99 pricing against monthly subscription plans and $44.99 single reports, side by side.
Sep 3, 20267 min read
TrulyCar vs CARFAX: A CARFAX Alternative at $16.99
TrulyCar vs CARFAX: how a $16.99 CARFAX alternative compares on price, title data, damage photos, recalls and market values before you buy.
Sep 3, 20267 min read
AutoCheck vs TrulyCar: Which Score Predicts Risk?
AutoCheck vs TrulyCar compared: does a numeric vehicle history score beat raw records and auction photos at predicting used-car risk? Here's the breakdown.
Sep 2, 20267 min read
TrulyCar vs CARFAX: Is a $45 Report Worth It in 2026?
TrulyCar vs Carfax in 2026: what you actually get for roughly $45 versus a $16.99 one-time report, and which one fits your shopping situation.
Sep 2, 20267 min read
How to Find Car Auction Photos by VIN (Copart & IAAI)
Want to find car auction photos by VIN? Here's how to search Copart and IAAI for free, read the damage shots, and dig up photos of lots that already sold.
Aug 31, 20268 min read
How to Spot Odometer Rollback: A 9-Step Check
Learn how to spot odometer rollback with a 9-step inspection: mileage chronology, title brands, wear patterns, and digital odometer fraud red flags.
Aug 31, 20269 min read
What Is a Salvage Title? How to Spot a Rebuilt Car
What is a salvage title, how does it differ from rebuilt or junk, and how do you check a used car's brand history? A step-by-step VIN guide for buyers.
Aug 31, 20269 min read
License Plate to VIN: How to Find a Car's VIN From Its Plate
License plate to VIN in under a minute: enter the plate and its state, get the 17-character VIN and the free decode, then read the history. Steps, a worked example, and where lookups are limited.
Aug 27, 202611 min read
Best Vehicle History Report Site: TrulyCar Reviewed
An honest review of the best vehicle history report site for one-off buyers: what TrulyCar's $16.99 report covers, where it falls short, and how it compares.
Aug 27, 20268 min read
How Title Washing Works and How to Spot a Washed Title
Title washing moves salvage and flood cars through states until the paperwork looks clean. Here's a step-by-step check before you hand over money.
Aug 26, 20269 min read
Bumper vs TrulyCar: Subscription or $16.99 Once?
Bumper vs TrulyCar: one bills you monthly, the other charges $16.99 once. Compare pricing, report contents, and which fits how you shop for a used car.
Aug 26, 20267 min read