Service History?

[statman24]

Just purchase an 2004 4runner Limited. Pulled a carfax and saw that all of the service was done at 1 dealership... but when I call the dealership, they say they have no record of service. Called the dealership that it was originally sold from... same thing.

I also called Toyota customer service... no help either.

Any clues what I can do next? I do have an email into Carfax, so I'm waiting what they have to say.

 

[BTLFED]

Any Toyota dealership should be able to pull the service history by VIN if there is one. I got the service history for my 4Runner from the dealership a friend of mine works at, and my 4Runner had never been serviced there.

I don't believe anything CarFax says.

 

[statman24]

Any Toyota dealership should be able to pull the service history by VIN if there is one. I got the service history for my 4Runner from the dealership a friend of mine works at, and my 4Runner had never been serviced there.

I don't believe anything CarFax says.

No one seems to have any service history. I can't believe that all of the entries in carfax are just made up.

 

[Jaebster]

Quick question, NEone know how Carfax gets information?

 

[BTLFED]

No one seems to have any service history. I can't believe that all of the entries in carfax are just made up.

Anything is possible. Maybe the previous owner worked at that dealership and got stuff done on the down low and just entered it in there. There is really no telling.

 

[toto]

I think the only way Carfax gets maintenance data is if a dealer pays to use a large outside software vendor for their maintenance records. (In other words, they outsource that software rather than buying it.)

For some reason, dealers are really goofy about sharing past history for work done by a previous owner. Maybe they think they can sell you more service if you don't know that the work was already done and actually isn't necessary. Don't get me started about how dealers would be so much better off by building trust relationships with customers over time instead of worrying about how to screw them as much as possible today.

Toyota corporate would only have records of warranty repairs, and that would be accessible to any Toyota dealer. Routine maintenance info generally isn't accessible outside of the dealer that did the work.

 

[statman24]

Toyota corporate would only have records of warranty repairs, and that would be accessible to any Toyota dealer. Routine maintenance info generally isn't accessible outside of the dealer that did the work.

Fine. All dealerships have the warranty work that was done on my vehicle... which they all say was... nothing. None of them, though, can tell me what service was done on it.

Carfax gives me the dealership that all of the work was done at. Unfortunately, when that dealership pops the vin into the system, they don't see anything. Same goes for the originating dealership of sale.

I did email carfax and got the following:

Thanks for contacting CARFAX by email.

I will have our research tem investigate this matter documented under case number: 183639

We will contact you with any update or the final determination concluded upon receipt from our Data Research department accordingly.

Thank you for your patience in the interim.
Sincerely,

Claudia
Consumer Affairs Analyst

So, I'll wait and see what happens.... stay tuned!

 

[BTLFED]

Toyota corporate would only have records of warranty repairs, and that would be accessible to any Toyota dealer. Routine maintenance info generally isn't accessible outside of the dealer that did the work.

I dunno about up there in Illinois, but down here in Georgia that is not true. I had the maintenance records for my 4Runner pulled up at a dealership in Marietta when all of the work was done on my car in Union City and Kennesaw. It had never been to the dealership I had the records looked up at.

 

[jacal]

Carfax is useless.

A group of my peers ran cars they owned...everything from pristine records to total write-offs. Carfax returned nothing.

These were all Canadian cars.


J

 

[nc211]

Interesting note about Illinois... My 05' 4runner is from Illinois, bought it used down here in NC. It had 53k miles on it, in just 14 months time. Tried to run the history on it too at my local dealership, and they couldn't find anything either. Said it was from Illinois and they're not tied in to that region. Tried calling a dealership up there, but nobody would talk to me since I hadn't purchased the car yet.

Carfax indicated personal lease. Somebody took a huge hit on the mileage at turn in. Clearly a salesman owned car, or airport pilot with a big ole commute. I didn't think it was a rental simply because it has a V8, perm 4x4, had a bug guard on the front, sunroof, towing package and down hill assist. Stuff usually bought on personal decisions, not corporate like Hertz & Avis..

 

[BTLFED]

Interesting note about Illinois... My 05' 4runner is from Illinois, bought it used down here in NC. It had 53k miles on it, in just 14 months time. Tried to run the history on it too at my local dealership, and they couldn't find anything either. Said it was from Illinois and they're not tied in to that region. Tried calling a dealership up there, but nobody would talk to me since I hadn't purchased the car yet.

Yeah, generally they can only pull history from a state in the south east if you are in the south east.

 

[maine runner]

Carfax is absolute crap and worthless. If you paid for this report, forget about getting your money back.

Am I the only one that remembers the class action lawsuit? Do a search.

 

[jacal]

Carfax is absolute crap and worthless. If you paid for this report, forget about getting your money back.

Am I the only one that remembers the class action lawsuit? Do a search.

Actually the reports are excellent for lining your birdcage.



John