Is Carfax Legitimate?????

[hammersley]

We were looking at a rig - 02 4x4 Diesel - and was a little of teh story... . only 62,000 miles - rig looks great... ... he wants to make sure he goes with us to the DMV to make sure title is transferred... ... . i guess.....

 

[Bob4x4]

Carfax can only report what has been reported to them. How many shops will notify carfax when they fix a fender bender?

 

[Regcabguy]

It guarantees a clean title. The rest is like Bob said.

 

[jgillott]

My mother "totaled" a 1996 Cavalier back in the fall of 2000. She hit a tree in the snow and the insurance company paid them a few days later... . which would have been around October 20th or so.



At one point a few years ago, we had an unlimited Carfax account and I ran that vin for the fun of it and it showed up without having that accident listed. Never persued it or even called to check on the reason why, but it makes me wonder how accurate it they are.

 

[Regcabguy]

My mother "totaled" a 1996 Cavalier back in the fall of 2000. She hit a tree in the snow and the insurance company paid them a few days later... . which would have been around October 20th or so.



At one point a few years ago, we had an unlimited Carfax account and I ran that vin for the fun of it and it showed up without having that accident listed. Never persued it or even called to check on the reason why, but it makes me wonder how accurate it they are.

Ditto. My Trooper sustained $13,000 damage(unfortunately with me in it). Carfax came up clean.

 

[jgillott]

Ditto. My Trooper sustained $13,000 damage(unfortunately with me in it). Carfax came up clean.

Does being "Totaled" by the insurance company automatically constitute a reconstructed title when it is fixed? I always assumend it did.

 

[Regcabguy]

Does being "Totaled" by the insurance company automatically constitute a reconstructed title when it is fixed? I always assumend it did.

Yeah,if it's totaled a salvage title is assigned to it. Unfortunately,AAA didn't total mine. I sold the Trooper but divulged the damage to the new owner and took a bath on it. I'm too honest,but enjoy sleeping at night. :-laf

 

[Tractorat]

I did a carfax on my father in laws car about a year ago. He crashed it at least 3 times that I knew of (front end damage, etc). Carfax didnt show anything. I got my $ back

 

[HBarlow]

Yeah,if it's totaled a salvage title is assigned to it. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .

I don't think that is always true. IIRC a few years ago some states did not issue "salvage titles. " I don't remember the details now but some states may not require an insurance company who declares an insured vehicle a total loss to retitle the car before it is sold.



I'm not sure it is still going on but at one time I think there was an active "underground market" buying wrecked cars which insurance companies had paid large claims on, took possession of, and dumped at auctions. These wrecks were purchased, "repaired", and resold.



As is often true, it is often "buyer beware" in the used car market. I'm not sure a buyer can count on carfax or a clear title to protect against flood or accident damage.