Best BMW VIN Decoder

Why somebody would need BMW VIN decoder

When you are on the market for specific, often, high-performance car, you really want to pay much attention as possible on every little detail. The basic information, like model year options or trim, is secondary to the mileage, service records, accidents, or insurance claims. As an avid BMW owner and fan, I know exactly what I need from BMW VIN decoder, what information is valuable, and what is essential if I want to make a purchase. That is why I compared the five most common VIN decoders to find out what is the best BMW VIN decoder for you. So, let`s start:

Fifth Place – AutoCheck

The AutoCheck decoder is your run-of-the-mill service that offers basic coverage. However, I cannot recommend it for a fellow BMW owner due to its flaws. Yes, AutoCheck will get you full vehicle history along with the title, insurance, and ownership reports and will also provide the average value of the specific car, which will help you to decide if you have a good deal or not.

Just like all other paid BMW VIN decoders out there, it will include service reports, but they will often be not comprehensive enough. The AutoCheck uses National Vehicle Database, which means that services and maintenance performed by unofficial mechanics or owners will not occur in the search. Also, AutoCheck is one of the most expensive options since the single check is $24.99, but you can get 25 reports for more reasonable $49, 99.

Fourth Place – AutoDNA

I found that AutoDNA is a bit better BMW VIN decoder only due to the fact that it offers coverage for cars that are sold or imported from other countries, not just from the United States or Canada. However, there are several downsides to this service, mainly in the way the information is displayed and the database model.

First, the result of the BMW VIN lookup will be separated in several reports based on a country in which the vehicle generated from. Second, even though the AutoDNA sources are trusted, the reports still can be tampered with, which creates space for doubt when you are searching for the most relevant information, and that is maintenance records and damage reports. The price for this BMW VIN decoder is more affordable at $10 for a basic description for US-based cars and slightly less for cars from Europe.

Third Place – VinAudit

It is true that VinAudit might not be as comprehensive as some other BMW VIN decoders on the market; however, it is a direct way to get insight into one of the biggest databases in the world – NMVTIS (National Motor Vehicle Title Information System). Since the NMVTIS is a government agency, searching for the specific vehicle will include nationwide sources and will display every information regarding that VIN number.

The best feature of VinAudit is the price, and a single-vehicle check will cost you only $5, and if you want unlimited access, you can get it for just $20 per month. But, this BMW VIN decoder only covers the United States, and since it uses official sources, if the owner decides to service its car privately, you will not be able to find that.

Second Place – Carfax

As the oldest and one of the most comprehensive BWM VIN decoders out there, Carfax is a well-known name in the business. The Carfax covers the United States and Canada, as well as some European counties. It uses over 100.000 official and independent sources to provide you with all the information that you need. When you use the Carfax, you will get precious information not only on title, ownership, and service but also on mileage, insurance claims, and so on.

However, the Carfax is not perfect, and its results can be compromised, which is the case with almost all BMW VIN decoders on the market. Also, Carfax is the most expensive service by far, and a single check is $35, with ten searches going for almost astronomical $99.

First Place – CarVertical

Although the CarVertical is the newcomer to the BMW VIN decoder world, it is the best one out there thanks to its innovative combination of modern technology, creative approach, and affordable price. So, what is the secret of CarVertical? The CarVertical is the first blockchain-based VIN decoder, which ensures that the information is accurate, fast and cannot be tampered with.

Read more: CarVertical Review

This is of the utmost importance when you are looking for buy used BMW, and you are concerned about service and maintenance intervals, actual mileage, hidden damage, and market prices. The CarVertical is not limited to the United States as most of the competitors are but also covers global markets. If the specific VIN is mentioned somewhere in the world, the report will show it. Also, a single-car (single VIN number) report is $14.99, which is a fraction of the cost of a Carfax report. If you are looking for multiple reports, CarVertical offers various discounts and up to 50% of the second report.

Conclusion

Let`s say that I am looking to buy a BMW E36 M3, which is over 20 years old. My first concern is maintenance, damage, ownership, and mileage. Maybe I want to import the car from Europe since European versions had 286 or 321 HP compared to pretty anemic US-spec models with only 240 HP. The only dependable BMW VIN decoder that I will be using is the CarVertical only due to the fact its result cannot be tampered with, and it covers global markets.

Since the CarVertical is blockchain-based, wherever and whenever the specific VIN is used, it will show on the report, and I can have a comprehensive insight into the vehicle`s life. Even the lack of information is valuable since I will be avoiding the car that has been off the road so long that there are no relevant results.

Even though the rest of the BMW VIN decoders tries do a good job in offering as much as they can, its database model can be tampered with, which can give me faux readings and potential problems down the road. Also, since the CarVertical is one of the most affordable BMW VIN decoders out there, I can search dozens of vehicles for the price of a single Carfax report, for example.