A vehicle history report is only useful if you know what you are looking at. Accident flags range from minor cosmetic claims to structural damage — the report should specify severity, not just presence. Title status tells you whether the car was ever declared a total loss, salvage, or rebuilt. A clean title is the baseline expectation for any car priced at market value. Odometer checks cross-reference mileage against past service and inspection records. A flagged discrepancy does not always mean fraud, but it is always worth asking the seller to explain.