The Problem with Carfax Vehicle History Reports
Anyone else catch that CBS article about the NYC toll hike that might take effect? Yikes! With factors like this piling up on New York City residents every day, it’s no wonder so many people are selling their cars. Anyway, besides this ridiculous proposed toll hike, I wanted to touch base on another problem. Let’s get started shall we!
“Show me the Carfax.” – You’ve probably heard this slogan being said on the recent TV commercials. What else do you know about Carfax vehicle reports? According to their commercial used car dealerships are scared to death of their reports on used car history and their “Car Fox” mascot. Carfax offers you a vehicle report on your car so you don’t get screwed over. That’s the gist right? In a past article I wrote titled Why Kelly Blue Book values Can Be Misleading? we delved deep inside of false car history information. This time we’re going to analyze Carfax.
Used Car History Matters
One thing is obvious. Car accidents lower the resale value of your car. When you’re buying a used car you want to know the full history of that vehicle right? Carfax leads you to believe that their reports are 100% accurate but that’s not always the case. They are only as accurate as the information that is given to them. Keep this in mind. When it comes to car accidents, the all seeing eye of Carfax seems to miss details that the rest of us consider important. In fact Carfax gets no accident claims records from insurance companies in the US until the car is totaled. Most insurance companies do not provide information to Carfax, nor are there any laws that require them to do so. The same is true of law enforcement agencies. Bet you didn’t know that now did you?
Carfax Alternatives
Carfax might not be 100% accurate but they do offer some insight into your vehicle’s history. For example, depending on your car’s model and make, they can account for any recalls or defects. In their report they do cover odometer fraud, title check, operating costs and service info. Paying $30 for a Carfax report is still worth it but I wouldn’t solely rely on them. It seems the insurance companies aren’t generous with their information and Carfax suffers because of this. If you’re smart then you’ll do your research with other car report companies and weigh out the variables.
Here’s a list of some Carfax Alternatives:
Time to Sell Your Car
If you’re trying to sell your car, don’t you want to make sure you know what the history behind it is? I know we do because we buy used cars! Just be cautious if you do decide to use Carfax. Use the other resources I listed above as well as Carfax to determine your car’s value. The last thing you want to happen is to find out your car has reduced value do to an unreported accident. Remember: We pay top dollar for your used car!
Thank you for your article about Carfax. I learned alot from it.