Running a CarFax report
Moderator
Joined: 01-23-2009
Posts: 26,532
From: Fredericksburg,VA
Read the fine print. What happened to me: clean CarFax, 6 months later CarFax reported near total accident. They only report what has been reported to them, if you repair your own car they never know about it (like the way fly by night rental companies do).
Senior Member
Joined: 09-16-2013
Posts: 1,408
From: Tampa, Florida
Ha actually my friend while we were putting my rally stripes on looks at my rear bumper and says "you know this has been repainted, right?" Coming from a 0 accidents reported on the carfax when I bought my HHR; leads me to believe a previous owner got into a fender bender and had it fixed under the tables. I was a little shocked but not too worried, as the rally strip covered the touch up section XD. Surprising to hear because without his trained eye I would have never known!
Senior Member
Joined: 08-26-2008
Posts: 1,488
From: Sequim Washington
Any of the providers of information are just a guesstimate.
Each buyer may have different parameters of what is and is not important to them.
If you are a car buff like many HHR owners are, then you should be able to check out the car for body damage etc. yourself.
Otherwise take it to a quality body shop for an inspection.
Same goes for mechanical condition.
Don't expect to get a 100% picture. Just do the best you can.
I am not saying don't get a Carfax or other report. Just don't take it as the Gospel.
The plus is, they may reveal something you are totally not aware of.
In the old days it was just you and the car salesman .... Yikes
SF
Each buyer may have different parameters of what is and is not important to them.
If you are a car buff like many HHR owners are, then you should be able to check out the car for body damage etc. yourself.
Otherwise take it to a quality body shop for an inspection.
Same goes for mechanical condition.
Don't expect to get a 100% picture. Just do the best you can.
I am not saying don't get a Carfax or other report. Just don't take it as the Gospel.
The plus is, they may reveal something you are totally not aware of.
In the old days it was just you and the car salesman .... Yikes
SF
Senior Member
Joined: 06-26-2006
Posts: 1,876
From: San Bernardino, California
Yeah but in the old days there wasn't as many ways to defraud. I've bought a few cars back then that came with a manila envelope that included a stack of handwritten service records. One of the many drawbacks of the electronic age.........
Deceased
Joined: 06-30-2010
Posts: 25,739
From: Kannapolis NC
Paddy has a clean CarFax, but on December 23, 2011 he was clobbered to the tune of $6,300.
So with CarFax or any like service, you pays your money and you take your chances.
In the unlikely event I ever sell off Paddy, the people would be told that he was hit, and they'd get copies of the body shop invoices showing that genuine GM parts had been used.
Why State Farm didn't report the collision is beyond me.
So with CarFax or any like service, you pays your money and you take your chances.
In the unlikely event I ever sell off Paddy, the people would be told that he was hit, and they'd get copies of the body shop invoices showing that genuine GM parts had been used.
Why State Farm didn't report the collision is beyond me.
Senior Member
Joined: 07-02-2013
Posts: 7,827
From: Claremont, CA
Back in 2004 I was shopping to replace my 98 Corvette and paid for a limited CarFax subscription. Just for hahas I ran a CarFax on the Vette. In 2001 I had two accidents with it in one week (don't ask, it was not a good time in my life) total damage on the car was about $6K. It went through insurance and was repaired at a reputable body shop. The CarFax came back clean. I have zero faith in CarFax.
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