Carfax??
- Thread starter Hayden_
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
That's a big IF, I know someone who bought due to a clean CarFax only to find out the car had been rolled and repaired outside of insurance so it appeared just fine on CarFax.
littlehandegan
New member
I am sorry but saying a carfax is useless is the dumbest thing I have heard in a while.
It details a good bit of info. Recalls, if it was ever lemon lawed, if it has had a ton of owners, potential accidents, and with most new cars almost all dealers report services etc.
Also, if you want to PM me your license plate # and state I will send you the carfax.
It details a good bit of info. Recalls, if it was ever lemon lawed, if it has had a ton of owners, potential accidents, and with most new cars almost all dealers report services etc.
Also, if you want to PM me your license plate # and state I will send you the carfax.
mikebontoft
New member
hey if people are giving out carfaxes I'll take some for my new truck lol
Recalls - YES.
Lemon Lawed - MAYBE.
Potential Accidents - NO
Dealer Services - YES.
Non-Dealer Services (which more then 60% of car owners do) - NO.
It's not so much what is reported on Carfax - it's what's NOT reported on Carfax. Carfax even admits they collect less then 5% of all information on all cars. The problem is IF the Carfax report is clean (and based on their own admitted stats - that would be the vast majority). Many people will think that the car is then worth it to buy (which would be WRONG). You'd be far better off...spending the money on getting it inspected by a good trusted mechanic.
gshadow325
New member
Just looked at it nothign much to see. LoL, 07 SR5 sport, 3 owners, 1 oil change, battery/front pads replaced. didnt see the inside of a dealership much. lived down south in alabama for its entire life.
Mike, marketing gimmick is to think Carfax is just the only tool to rely on with a new car purchase.
Nothing replaces a set of trained eyes amd some due diligence on the buyers end. Only one that is going to get screwed is the buyer.
I agree in part with mike but to say carfax is a total waste might be a little harsh.
BTW, why doesn the seller buy the carfax and show it to you?
If carfax was free then I'd say it might be worth it. The problem is people see a clean report and think everything is fine...when in fact it may very well NOT be. Now if the report actually has something on it...then great...but if there was a problem..then the stats are stacked against Carfax of it ever being on the report. I take no stock in a company that willfully tries to mislead the public into thinking a Clean report means a clean vehicle. They advertise that way...and now have dealers strong-armed into using their services by making the buying public THINK the Carfax report is needed.
Here are just SOME of the problems with Carfax.
Top 393 Complaints and Reviews about Carfax
The Vexing Problem of Erroneous Vehicle History Reports
Carfax Complaints and reviews @ Pissed Consumer
CARFAX: Are the reports reliable? - NBC12.com - Richmond, VA News
gshadow325
New member
to [MENTION=102435]Hayden_[/MENTION] it is worth it since it will be free LoL
Oh i know the ins and out of carfax. I know what that it can leave out information first hand. My wifes car bought brand new and we were the ones that pulled the wrappers off the car. Before we traded it in, she accumulated two accidents that were not her fault. totaling over $14000, both were repaired at a ultra high end shop, both were not on the carfax.
Even if Carfax IS FREE...You still do NOT want to trust it if nothing is reported. Still get it inspected. Too many people just rely in the Carfax report as it being a good clean vehicle. Carfax is the NEW marketing gimmick....Certified used vehicle is the old marketing gimmick. Both are designed to sell cars at a higher price (thus more profit). Great for the dealers...bad for the consumer.
gshadow325
New member
one thing i noticed about carfax, it omits data but doesnt report wrong data for the most part
I mean Carfax has it's ups and downs I was just curious as to how the prior owners treated my runner! I mean I knew it wasn't bad cause I've driven the truck for about 10k so I mean I was just curious as to how it all looked. I'll say car fax is a fairly reliable resource if you're doing it for the reasons I am, but I also agree it gives people who don't know any better a false sense of security because you never truly know what it's been through
ToyoTech
New member
its not what carfax shows but what it doesnt show would make it steer away from that vehicle.
one with a good service history at a dealership usually wont go outside of insurance to repair. if they do, i would think i could spot it buy doing a easy inspection. non oem or aftermarket parts are easy to spot. vin plates wont be on any of the replacement parts unless they glue them back on and can be spotted easily. i have seem them several times but even with out popping the hood you can already tell its been wreak lol
i agree its not perfect
one with a good service history at a dealership usually wont go outside of insurance to repair. if they do, i would think i could spot it buy doing a easy inspection. non oem or aftermarket parts are easy to spot. vin plates wont be on any of the replacement parts unless they glue them back on and can be spotted easily. i have seem them several times but even with out popping the hood you can already tell its been wreak lol
i agree its not perfect
Guitarplaya39
New member
I liked using Carfax when looking for my 4runner online. Some small dealerships offer them free. I liked the fact that I could see the previous owner of my runner had the oil changed religiously at the dealership since new.
Nervo19
Member
You can check this for free, It is accurate for my 00 up until I stopped going to the dealer:
Service History Online - Toyota Owners
When the dealer checked the Carfax on the 08 minivan I was selling last month every maintenance done by Honda as well as a local indy garage was on there. About eight recalls (hence the reason for dumping it) and oil and fluid changes.
