I make .pdf's of all services, I'll probably run my '17 Soul into the ground but just in case, I go back into Carfax and manually enter missing services. Is this perfect? No way, OTOH Carfax is just a passive tool if inputs by repairing and servicing parties aren't entered.
Carfax is Useless
- Thread starter loneryder
- Start date
All depends on whether the dealer's management software is setup to report services to CarFax.
Carfax is just an accumulated repository of data that someone, anyone has taken the time or not, to record said data.If you think for a minute that it’s chapter and verse as to what went on on with the car that you’re looking at I’ll sell you the Brooklyn Bridge. A sucker is born every minute. Truer words were never spoken. I don’t buy cars anymore (thank god) but I wouldn’t give them the time of day.
Not a single accident involving one of my vehicles (there were three in the past 20 years) was ever reported to CarFax. This includes $18K in repairs when my wife was t-boned in a Honda Pilot. This isn't service-related but lots of info doesn't get reported to CarFax.
And the next guy runs around and says “I got a clear Carfax!!And the beat goes on
Hogwash. Carfax is data, Autocheck is data. When it comes to purchasing vehicles it might be all you can go on. What is useless is this thread title which is clickbait, but I will give you props for getting actual data from the dealer.
My Subaru was in a wreck, according to carfax, on a day I was out of state ... with a different vehicle. It was literally locked in the garage and I had the keys.
It is Data. That's very suspect as to the accuracy. You better off putting it up on a rack and having a look.
I recently bought a CarFax (first time for me buying one) for a used vehicle I bought from a private party...was asked by the seller if I viewed the CarFax history as it was extensive for service with all of it vehicle done at the dealership on this 18 year old SUV...
the CarFax I got had 11 license plate renewals, a couple of smog checks and ONE entry from the dealership which was a recent but that the SUV had received a once over by the dealership with a coolant change...
I was disappointed in the lack of service history but I didn't put all my eggs in that basket to begin with
Bill
the CarFax I got had 11 license plate renewals, a couple of smog checks and ONE entry from the dealership which was a recent but that the SUV had received a once over by the dealership with a coolant change...
I was disappointed in the lack of service history but I didn't put all my eggs in that basket to begin with
Bill
Our son had a front end collision with his 2003 F150. He traded it in at a dealer and they beat him up bad on the offer because they “pulled up the Carfax report” and saw the insurance claim for the repair. The work was done by a professional body shop and had no issues. The dealer put it on their used car lot and the advertisement said “ CLEAN CARFAX REPORT”. It’s the dealers again that can’t be trusted. My wife bought a 2 year old BMW 330 ( lease turn in) from Hendricks BMW in Charlotte. They sold it with a clean Carfax report. When she traded it the dealer saw that the previous owners had hit a deer and it was repaired at that Hendricks dealer. Buyer beware.
I use Carfax more to see if the car had multiple owners, where it spent its life, and if it was wrecked. Only once have I gone to look at a car and discovered it had been wrecked, though the Carfax stated otherwise.
Here in Salt country, it’s great to find a car that lived South or West. I’ve passed on cars that had time in in the New England area, though my current car is from Ontario. Since it sat most of 2020, I didn’t mind that, and it was better than what was available at the time. The CarFax showed the mileage during the previous owners time, so I could do the math on how many miles where driven when.
It’s not perfect, but helpful.
Here in Salt country, it’s great to find a car that lived South or West. I’ve passed on cars that had time in in the New England area, though my current car is from Ontario. Since it sat most of 2020, I didn’t mind that, and it was better than what was available at the time. The CarFax showed the mileage during the previous owners time, so I could do the math on how many miles where driven when.
It’s not perfect, but helpful.
A female coworker of mine paid a mechanic at her favorite shop $100 to look at two used cars with her before she chose. What she did made perfect logical sense to me, but I had never thought of it before. Based upon the good luck she had with that used car it seemed worth the money spent.
Carfax is a tool that can be useful when piecing together a car's history. Nothing beats eyes on though, and a pre-purchase inspection is always a good idea. The last car I bought had a very well documented Carfax and I still got a pre-purchase inspection (which is now part of the Carfax record). The dealer I use reports all service to Carfax, so I have contiuned to use them to keep the car's record intact and complete.
It makes perfect sense to do, I just don't know how to make the logistics work. "Can I take this car to my mechanic who's 30-50-75 miles away for the day?" Or "I like this car but I want my mechanic to look it over. Earliest they can get it into the shop is a week from now. Can you take a deposit?"
I can see how this works on high dollar cars, where stuff isn't going to be sold in a matter of hours or days. I've never spent more than $1,500 on a used car though, maybe the rules all change if you get to $10k let alone more? but then I am not sure I feel comfortable carrying $10k around, and at this point I'm like halfway to new for something halfway to dead.
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As mentioned I did use the Carfax showing no accidents and dealer maintained, when I bought the 2006 LS in 2016. But, stupidly, I should have done a more thorough test drive, or, even, drive it to my indie (didn't have them back then) and inspect it. Just like when you are a brand new customer, they do a multipoint. Even take it to another dealer (dealer has an incentive to make things up or turn things up).
So mine had a non working driver door actuator which is common and $800, and brakes shuddered. Luckily dealer that sold it to me addressed these. It also had zero coolant in the reservoir and radiator to be seen. It really is worth it to drive it to a shop, whether paid or not to inspect it.
She paid the mechanic $100 to actually go with her to look at a couple of cars after she narrowed down the choices. I should have been clearer about that.
Easily found during one's own inspection time. Walk around, look underneath, then test as many things as possible (doors, windows, etc).
What one can't do is put onto a lift. Makes checking wheel bearings and tie rods hard. But a good test drive can point those out in a hurry. Drive down a couple of bad streets (potholes and speed bumps), then hit the highway and give 'er the beans.
Chance are though you don't get the chance to test cold start though.
Oh. She did well then. $100, I don't think that covers an hour of shop time anymore.
I think she has been a really good customer and became friendly with a few of the guys there.
