I heard that Carfax was a joke. Is there any better more reputable service to check out a used car?

[K8-EEE]

I'm about to make an offer on a car but I want to make sure there's nothing bad in its history - I saw an expose' on Carfax and it seems that it is the most known (advertised) but least reliable service. Wondering if any smart car peeps out there had any words of wisdom.

[elleng]

1. Carfax is in NO WAY a joke,

good prices, good choices, no hassle. (Don't know about expose' you saw; our personal experience is to the contrary.)

[bluedigger]

2. Carfax, not Carmax.

[elleng]

3. OOPS, sorry, seen one/seen them all!!!

We've BOUGHT 3 cars from CarMAX!

[Honeycombe8]

8. Who says Carfax is a joke? I haven't heard that.

It gives you the basics, pulled I thought from public records. I think it tells you where it gets its information.

State's car registration dept., state's insurance commissioner (where you report accidents), etc.

I ended up buying a new car last year, but when perusing the internet for used, I looked @ a number of Carfax reports. They seemed legit. But then how would I know for sure about any of them?

[bluedigger]

9. I think you replied to the wrong post.

I haven't subscribed myself, but I think my friend uses it or a similar service in his used car business. They are legit as far as I know, but not perfect. More down thread.

[MicaelS]

4. The other service I know about is AutoCheck

AutoCheck.

I used Autocheck on my last car purchase and came away satisfied.

Maybe call your insurance agent, and ask them to recommend a service.

[K8-EEE]

11. Thanks I will try that one! nt

[gkhouston]

5. Have your mechanic inspect the car. n/t

[K8-EEE]

12. I had a guy check out the last one

and he found major damage had been fixed from an accident, after the seller was insisting on sending me carfax, but when we found replacement panels on the car he's like "well a clean carfax doesn't mean anything." The problem I have with this one is it is far enough out of town where my guy can't go see it. The people seem honest (the last guy DIDN'T!) so I was thinking of just trusting them and maybe a little check service if there was one better than carfax.

[gkhouston]

17. Could your mechanic recommend someone closer to where the vehicle is? n/t

[bluedigger]

6. Carfax is as good as any probably.

If the vehicle was damaged and repaired without an accident report or insurance claim nothing will show up. It's good for narrowing down the field to the ones you want to look at. Caveat emptor.

[Gold Metal Flake]

7. This.

I used Autocheck and it was cheaper and the also longer (2 months) for the one payment.

As bludigger wrote:

If the vehicle was damaged and repaired without an accident report or insurance claim nothing will show up. It's good for narrowing down the field to the ones you want to look at. Caveat emptor.

Absolutely right. So, you get as many VINs to check as you can and those without any bad marks become possibilities. Then you go and see those and scope them out carefully. I know what to look for and one car I was serious about turned out to have amateurish body panel repairs that the owner "could not explain", damage that I found by looking beyond the usual places. I bought a car with a clean history, a one owner car, one that stood up to my inspection.

If you are keen to cars, better get a mechanic you can trust. Weed out the crap first with autocheck or Carfax, when you call on a car, be skeptical. Don't fill in a sketchy story about a car's history with good feelings. If the story does not sound right, it ain't right. Trust your BS meter. There are a lot of cars out there. Take Your Time because you gotta live with what you buy.

Also, check the local used car lot websites as they usually list the VINs. Practice. Go by and see a car that you may not be serious about (this not becoming attached to it) and deal with the salesman and look that car over very carefully. This practice will come in handy later.

Good luck.

[K8-EEE]

13. That's WAY better than paying per car if you are looking at a few of them!

Thanks for that!

[Gold Metal Flake]

14. Yes, and the VIN is often published in dealer Craigslist ads as well.

PSA: The VIN is the Vehicle Identification Number and is what is used by Carfax and Autocheck to search records of a car's history..

Autocheck made it easy for me to search dozens of cars while sitting on my ass in my home. I didn't even have to be dressed! Then I could look at the few nice ones I found. I ended up with a Focus wagon from the original owners, a young family. Their lovely little girl was a bit of a blob, but an afternoon of cleaning took care of that.

But one other car I looked at sounded good. Lowish miles, claimed that it was under warranty, no accidents. It also had a 5 speed, which I really wanted (desire/emotion: danger!). It was this car that had some funny paint on it which led me to look closer once I took it for a test drive. I found bondo. Hidden unreported repairs. The warranty turned out to be up in a couple of months. I found that out by calling a Ford dealer, giving them the VIN and having them check it. I low-balled them an offer which they refused. I should not have even done that much. So be careful, trust your eyes, tell your heart to just settle down cuz you don't want to buy a clunker based on emotion or desire.

If you find yourself torn between a couple of cars, post here and fudge the location/personal details for privacy. Lots of car folks here may be able to help you sort between the options.

[iemba12]

15. Great advice

Autocheck unlimited is a good screening tool, but Carfax has way more information on specific vehicles. If you're talking about spending a few thousand dollars on a car, screening vehicles first with both is a really good investment. But before you buy a used car, get it inspected by someone like GMF who can recognize prior damage. So the best way to protect yourself is screen with unlimited autocheck (basic less detail), then when you find a car you are serious about run the Carfax (very detailed), then if the history looks good, use an in-person expert (friend/mechanic). There are some services that sprouted up to support the eBay car shoppers who buy cars sight unseen from across the country. I think one is called Car Chex, where they will send a mechanic to inspect a vehicle for something like $50 bucks. From my experience, about half the cars on the road have some kind of accident in their past, but only half of those get reported to police or insurance companies. So you can eliminate some of the problem cars with a Carfax, but you always should have an inspection before you spend a ton of money and potentially put yourself at risk.

Good luck.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

10. just steer clear of Carfax abbey

[Scuba]

16. I've used Carfax only to determine if a car had been in a wreck, but nothing beats...

... having a mechanic you trust take it for a drive and put it up on the lift.

[usedcarinspections.]

18. Buyer beware!

The #1 reason bad cars are purchased is the buyers’ inability to properly determine the true condition of the vehicle, including accident and flood damage. A pre-purchase inspection is the most important part of the buying process. A history report cannot tell the buyer the CURRENT condition of any component and system or accurately tell the vehicle true history. There are 7 problems with a Carfax or any Vehicle History report, visit www.usedcarinspections.org/carfax.htm.

Also, all Automotive Technicians & pre-purchase inspections are not equal. To properly inspect today's used vehicles, you need an ASE Certified Master Technician to examine ALL mechanical & electrical components and systems, and a Body & Frame Specialist to determine existing and previous accident damage.

Read the “Top 10 Used Car Buying Myths, Mistakes, and Pitfalls” at www.UsedCarInspections.ORG/top10.htm.