Have complete peace of mind before you buy. Enter a car's 17-character VIN and we'll decode exactly what the manufacturer built — for free.
Ask the seller for the 17-character VIN, or read it off the car itself. Never rely on a photo alone — check it in person too.
We look the VIN up in the public NHTSA vehicle database and read back the make, model, year, body, engine and where it was built.
Confirm the decoded details match what the seller advertised. A mismatch is a red flag worth asking about.
Every car posted on Autotrader Africa is automatically checked against its VIN — listings that match display a green ✓ VIN verified badge. This tool lets you decode any VIN yourself, even before a car is listed.
The free check confirms the make, model, year, body style and engine encoded in the VIN. It does not yet cover title history, odometer/mileage records, accident or salvage history — a fuller paid history report for imported ("Tokunbo") cars is on the way. In the meantime, always inspect the car in person, confirm the seller's identity, and read our security & safety advice before paying.
Some imports that were never sold new in North America won't be in the database — that doesn't mean the VIN is fake, only that it can't be decoded here.