Carfax

[NoKlu]

I am looking for a new truck and finally found one that caught my interest. It's an 08 with only 15,000 km's on it so it still has the balance of the 5 yr 100,000 km warranty left.I checked it out as best I could and took it for a 1 1/2 hr test drive and it was perfect so I made an offer that was accepted and all was set to take it home. At the last minute I decided to run a Carfax check on it and it came up perfect as a 1 owner vehicle fully guaranteed by Carfax. This was my first time using Carfax so I looked at one of there sample reports to compare mine with it. All was good except mine had no warranty information , unlike the sample report had. This bothered me for a bit so I decided to call Ford with the VIN so they could check and see if the warranty was all good. After being on hold for about 5 mins the woman came back and told me the warranty was void and the Truck was listed as a complete loss by Ford Finance. 4 months after this Truck was purchased new It was totalled by the original owner and wrote off by the insurance company. I find it hard to beleive that Carfax never got the information of a complete write off. My suggestion is to forget Carfax and do your own do diligence by contacting the registry and Car maker your self and not rely on these services. I got lucky but could just as easily wound up finding out the hard way I was ripped off.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Carfax

I used to work in the car business and we seldom ever trusted the Carfax reports........... they have a good business but I would not bet on the results.

 

[jplomeo]

Re: Carfax

Never trust carfax!!!!!

I bought a low mileage, 2003 pathfinder a couple of years ago from a private party. Truck looked like new but I ran a Carfax check anyway. It came back sqeaky clean with no accident on record. A week later I'm looking for the windshield washer fluid revervoir to fill it and can't find one. Took it to dealer to check out and they tell me truck was in a major wreck, has extensive body work done and brake caliper bolts were not right. Cost $1,000 to fix (which I got the Seller to pay).

No other problems and truck has been great but never again- DO NOT RELY ON CAR FAX-get it to a mechanic before you buy.

JP

 

[oops!]

Re: Carfax

ill bet the dealer is just going to tell you whatever just to do the deal at the accepted offer.
obviously the tearma and conditions of the sale have changed

what you gonna do ?,,,,,are ya gonna walk on it?

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: Carfax

Depending on who did the repair work and if it was repaired bye an insurance company a company like carfax would never know it had ever been in an accident. As we have seen here in BC even the government auto insurance does crooked dealings with wrecked autos.

Please take it to some one you trust and get any auto your thinking of buying and get it checked out.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Carfax

I've used it a couple of times. About all it is good for is for seeing all the transfers of ownership. I don't know any body shop around here that reports to carfax. If the body shop buys totaled cars and fixes them for resale, why would they report it to carfax?

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Carfax

On my last purchase I used Carfax to weed out the ones I didn't want to look at, and after looking at others. But as others have said, don't trust Carfax as I saw several vehicles with damage/repairs that wasn't mentioned, major damage.

I'd say it was worth $20 weed out the obvious bad ones, surely saved that much in gas...

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Carfax

I've used it a couple of times. About all it is good for is for seeing all the transfers of ownership. I don't know any body shop around here that reports to carfax. If the body shop buys totaled cars and fixes them for resale, why would they report it to carfax?

Exactly.... ownership transfers and sales at auctions show up.

Usually it is the insurance company that is the source for accidents...... sometimes one company will not report accidents they paid for (the other car involved). There is far too much that slips through the cracks.

It does show if a car was a rental or a lease.

Carfax has a buyback clause but they do not endorse that on all the reports.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Carfax

ever heard the old saying, " if you want it done right, do it yourself" it goes here do you own homework.