TRAMER, PTT mileage record, professional inspection and OBD: what does each show?

TRAMER: damage records reported to insurers

The TRAMER record shows damage records about the car that were reported to insurance companies. A TRAMER lookup is done to see whether the car has had damage repaired through insurance in the past. If you see a damage record, you can ask the seller how extensive the repair was and have that area looked at closely during the inspection.

What it doesn't show: A repair that was never reported to insurers, such as damage paid for out of pocket, may not appear in this record. Having no record doesn't mean the car has never been damaged. TRAMER tells you nothing about the car's current mechanical condition, its mileage or its electronic faults.

PTT mileage record: the mileage on past dates

The lookup known as the PTT mileage record shows the car's mileage on the dates it was entered in official records. A mileage lookup is done to see how the mileage has progressed over the years. Values that rise steadily over the years give you an idea of the mileage history; if a record is lower than the one before it, it's a good idea to ask the seller for an explanation.

What it doesn't show: It only shows the mileage on the dates it was recorded; it doesn't show what happened between two records or after the last one. It also tells you nothing about the car's faults, modules or mechanical condition.

Professional inspection: the car's physical condition today

A professional inspection is an in-person examination of the car by an expert. It usually covers the bodywork and paint, along with mechanical parts such as the engine, transmission, suspension and brakes. The aim is to see the car's physical condition on the day of the inspection. Physical traces that don't show up in records, such as a paint mismatch or a past repair, can be spotted in this examination.

What it doesn't show: The scope varies by company and by the package chosen. It's a good idea to ask the inspection company which records and electronic checks the package includes. Paintwork or a replaced part found in the inspection means more when read together with the TRAMER record.

OBD: the car's electronic memory

The OBD port is the standard connection point to the car's electronic modules and is usually under the steering wheel. A device plugged in here reads the modules' own records, so you can see the car's current fault status and the records kept in the modules' memory. Generic Bluetooth OBD adapters and professional diagnostic tools both plug into this port; what can be read depends on the device, the software and the car.

What it doesn't show: The 2dakika report does not cover the car's mechanical condition, accident/paint history, TRAMER or service records; it is not a definitive finding and not a professional inspection report. Which modules can be read also varies by car.

The 2dakika OBD-X1 and its app turn the records read into a plain-language Vehicle Health Report; the app works only with the OBD-X1. The report includes:

• Current faults and fault history, with their severity.
• On cars that report it, the distance driven since the fault memory was last cleared; this counter can also be reset by disconnecting the battery or by workshop work.
• A comparison of the odometer with the records kept by modules such as the engine, transmission and ABS; for many makes the comparison is limited, and the report says so.
• The modules' part and software numbers, with a "From another vehicle" flag for modules whose stored VIN belongs to another car.
• 12 V battery health on cars that report it, battery health on supported electric and hybrid models, and DPF status on diesels whose engine computer reports it.
• Emissions readiness monitors and module readings.
• A report you can share as a PDF, by link or by QR code; the QR code on the PDF opens the original report on 2dakika.

Which source answers which question?

The source to look at depends on the question you're asking; none of them answers every question on its own:

• Has the car had damage repaired through insurance? The TRAMER record.
• How has the mileage progressed over the years? The PTT mileage record.
• What condition are the bodywork, the paint and the mechanical parts in? A professional inspection.
• Which faults are in the electronic memory, do the modules' mileage records agree with the odometer, and do the modules belong to this car? An electronic check via OBD.
• How far has the car been driven since the fault memory was last cleared, and what state are the battery and DPF in? An electronic check via OBD, on cars that support it.
• Has the car been serviced regularly? Service and maintenance documents.

How do you use them together?

These sources don't replace one another; they complement each other. A practical order could be: first the TRAMER and mileage lookups, then the car's electronic records, and the professional inspection last. The two lookups can be done without going to see the car, so they help with the first round of screening. If the electronic check is done before the inspection, it can help you pin down what you want the inspection to look at closely.

When the sources don't agree, for example if the last value in the PTT mileage record is higher than the mileage read in the report, or the TRAMER record and the inspection findings contradict each other, ask the seller for an explanation and consider having the car checked at a workshop. If the report says "Not cross-checked", that is not a negative finding about the car; for that car, official records and service documents become the main sources for the mileage history. The 2dakika report doesn't replace any of these records; it complements them by adding the mileage records in the car's modules, the fault history and module details.

You can share the electronic check's report with the seller and the inspection company, so everyone looks at the same data. Values are fixed at scan time; the report shows the records as they were on that day.