Just to warn you in case some of you are not aware... CARFAX is a bunch of crap.

here's my deal. I had a 04 NBP 5AT Non-navi and was t-boned by a truck in April 2004. Car had $19K worth of damage, and couldn't be aligned properly even after the repairs. My insurance wouldn't total it, so i got screwed a little there. Fast forward to March of 2005... I traded it in at full trade-in value (thank God) for an 05 SSM 6MT Navi and have been a happy camper since.

So about a month ago a friend of mine was in the market to buy a used car, so he buys one of those 1 month Carfax deals. I have him check my old 04 TL, just cuz i was curious about what Carfax would say about it.

CARFAX report said NOTHING. initially i laughed, cuz i didnt mention anything when i traded it in, and i know for a fact that it was sold to someone in Bellingham, WA. They did a great job fixing it, cuz it looked amazing. but that car has been thru some pain... i just feel bad for whoever bought her.

Moral to my story: For those of you who rely on Carfax to tell you the important stuff... DON'T.

This thread has been reposted by me to this forum from https://acurazine.com/forums/dating-relationships-14/am-i-big-timing-what-130528/

 

Blame your insurance company not Carfax. Carfax only reports what is reported to them.

 

thats not the point man... the point is that most people buy these carfax reports relying on them to disclose important information. I don't care who's duty it is to report it... the point is that accidents don't for the most part get reported. and guess what... i don't see anyone else in the loop claiming to disclose that information to car buyers...

There is a sticky on this exact forum regarding getting carfax reports. I guarantee you that if people knew from my testimony and others that major... im talking huge accidents w/ alot damage doesn't get reported regularly... they will think twice about the validity or reliability of a carfax report.

bottom line. most people want carfax reports to get information on accident history, or service records and such. if more often than not, carfax doesn't pick up on it.. then there is no point in getting one is there. Sure it gives other bits of information, but really think about it... the other bits of information are not critical for the most part. If the title is not clean or it has a lein you will know it when either they give you the title or the ownership transfer process begins.

Im not accusing them of consumer fraud or anything... but its misleading. Most people walk away from carfax commercials going 'hey, im buying a used car... maybe i should get a carfax report. That'll show me if its got a history of problems or most importantly, if its been in a major accident'

 

You can get a Carfax check free. What's the big issue?

It may not tell you everything but it'll tell you something.

 

Not a big issue really... just my

im thinking the only reason why its free is because there are member nice enough to pull carfax reports for other members.

Im just saying if you've gotta shell out even the $20 to get it.. think twice about, cuz the info youre looking for more than likely will not be there.

 

Wow... that really sucks. When my wife and I were in the market for a used MDX, I had my friend run all the Carfax reports on the ones we were looking at so that I could have some "peace of mind" --- we didn't find one we *really* liked yet, but now you have me thinking that I should REALLY scrutinize everything about them. I was under the impression that all MAJOR accidents had to be reported, and therefore, were picked up by Carfax on their records...

 

sorry brother... i was under that same impression until a month ago... the irony would be if the guy who bought my original 04 NBP TL is a member on this site. I hate to break the news to him. He'll probably never know. Carfax says its in perfect condition. 'It was T-boned by a truck... w/ $19K in damages and can't be aligned properly.' that would be news of the year for him. Maybe he even pulled a carfax report on it before he bought it.

 

Like it was said before, CarFax is only as good as what is reported. A CarFax report is a good GUIDLINE!! Something to to jump off of. If you only use CarFax as your tell-tale, then you really shouldn;t complain when you buy a POS and think it is great.

There are many tools to use when buying a used car, and a CarFax is just the beginning.

Sorry about your TL-but you are not representing CarFax very well. You say that your major accident didn't show up. Ok-I'm sorry. However, on what basis can you say, and I quote, "the point is that accidents don't for the most part get reported?" Unless you have other information that you are not disclosing, you are basing your argument off of ONE situation.
Hell, I could say that no-one should buy hairdryers at all-because the one hairdryer that I bought didn't work. Kinda a dumb statement huh??

I am the one who has been checking all of the CarFax reports for everyone-so I see what has come across with the 15 odd reports that I have pulled. Guess what, a good five of them came back reporting major accidents, mileage discrepency, or other major red flags.

Again, I agree that people who buy cars solely off of the findings of a CarFax report shouldn't complain about situations that may arise. However, to go on and say, and I quote, "CARFAX is a bunch of crap," is just full of, well, crap.

 

Doesn't Carfax have some kind of money back guarantee for these sorts of things anyways?

 

 

My expierence is Carfax is only good for milage checks, & past ownership. That's all I use it for.

 

Well more than that but it comes with alot of conditions...

CARFAX Buyback Guarantee claims (each a “Claim”) may be submitted per, and are subject to, the following Terms and Conditions.

CARFAX agrees to pay to the holder of a CARFAX® Vehicle History Report (the "Report") making a Claim (the "Claimant") the Claimant’s purchase price of the vehicle to which the Report relates (the “Vehicle”) up to 10% over the Kelley Blue Book value (see terms 8 and 9 for details)- if:

 

Ok, ok. So moral of the story is.. DONT SOLELY DEPEND ON CARFAX FACTS. They are not 100% Accurate.

Just like everything else in this world.

 

I deal with data all day long...

Garbage in, Garbage out... The intregity of the data is only as good as the people who input it

 

i can usually tell more about a car in circling the car twice, looking under and in the engine compartment. now there are some shops that do great work and you can't tell, but those are far and few between

 

Exactly what I was thinking.

Carfax doesn't know your car was t-boned because your insurance company didn't provide them the info. Buyer beware.

 

How is Carfax getting blamed for this when its your insurance companies fault?

 

I think it's shady that the Ins. co. didn't report the salvage title to the DMV.

 

it is alot better than haveing no infomation about the car for one to interpret