So I'm looking at the car fax for a car we might be buying and it says that the AutoCheck score is a 91 and the average is 79-87 so this means the car should be above average. However it says there was an accident reported on the history. Wouldn't this make the rating go down? I'm confused about how to actually read this thing. haha

 

Other factors come into play. How much in demand the car is, how many owners, how many miles, how old it is, how reliable, etc...

 

I see I see. Would the dealer have the records from where the car was fixed after the accident? And just how accurate is the car fax?

 

It depends on the accident- if the car was in something really minor (just paint or bumper work) then it shouldn't impact the score that much, I think. Chances are the car in question just had some paint work done on the bumpers or something, though I wouldn't know for sure.

 

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That makes sense. It says there was moderate damage. If all that was needed was paintwork would that be classified as "moderate"?

 

Most of the reports just say "accident reported". The extent of the accident does not impact the score for autocheck or carfax, as far as I know. Once in a while you might see it say that the accident was with a pedestrian, or with another motor vehicle. You may also see "accident reported, impact with another vehicle, left side" or something. An accident is an accident is an accident. No matter how big or small, it would have the same effect on the score, I think.

 

Carfax's are only Good with information provided to them. Even tho I have all the service done at acura dealers onl y a recall and 1 service shows up. Two of the dealers do not share info with carfax.