How Reliable Is Carfax?

[smoak352]

My girlfriend bought a VW Beetle about a year ago. She bought it used from a dealership and I pulled a carfax, everything looked clean, no accidents, just 2 previous owners. Well I found the registration of the previous owner in the glove compartment. The name looked familiar, I work as a bartender and the previous owner of the car comes in now and then. Well tonight I saw the girl who I thought was the previous owner, I asked her and she said that the car had been in an accident from the 1st owner. She said she found broken glass under the seat and took it in and found out it was in an accident.

 

So my GF's car was in an accident, Carfax said it was clean. So what is the point of pulling a carfax if it is unreliable. Is there any recourse to this?

[Wingnut]

It's a decent tool, but there are ways around it. Especially if no claim was filed.

[jrod332]

if that previous owner never had insurance and didnt file a claim then it would get reported. Also, not sure of the full story or if they said what kind of an accident it was but it have just been minor glass breakage.

[BKfirefighter3221]

There was a report on Good Morning America about descrepencies, sp?, they found that there had been accidents, even turned into insurance, and did not show up on the carfax reports. They talked about other companies that do a better job but I can't remember their names. Maybe search GMA's website for the report and find it there.

[AlenWoods]

the best way tp figure out that kinda stuff is by looking your self before you buy the car... TRUST NO ONE when buying a vehicle they see you as a walking wad of cash. You have to investigate your self.

[amtz.zero]

I wouldn't put all my trust on Carfax.

[Nytemare]

Only as reliable as the reporting process.

 

A magnet is your best friend to find body work...it wont stick...or will not stick as well to an area that has Bondo on it. Bringing your vehicle to a shop to have it looked at before you buy it is a good idea too....they put it on a lift and will see frame damage...unless the body shop were the frame gods....than does it really matter?

 

Carfax is good for what it is....but nothing is perfect.

[Nick The Great]

. . . I pulled a carfax, everything looked clean, no accidents . . .that the car had been in an accident from the 1st owner. ..

 

. . . So my GF's car was in an accident, Carfax said it was clean . . .

 

Don't look now, but you answered your own question twice!

[68haywagon]

When I pull the carfax for my van it comes up clean. It was in fact involved in a serious head on collision that was repaired some what poorly. My grandfather owned it when he got into the accident. It does not show up on the carfax.

 

Mike

[ColoradoSkiCountry]

To hell with Carfax. Take your vehicle to a trusted mechanic and have them look it over.

[lostnfound]

I would not fully trust carfax either. I had a buddy get screwed by trusting carfax when buying a truck.

[jf781]

What about their buy back guarantee?

 

http://www.carfax.com/manifest/bbg/termsConditions.cfx

 

Would this help you at all?