I wonder if there is a way to do your own oil changes and report it to Car fax.
I know the question is a little crazy but just came to mind.
I know the question is a little crazy but just came to mind.
DYI oil changes and Carfax?
- Thread starter LazyDog
- Start date
why?
When I buy a used car, it's far more important to me that the previous owner kept meticulous records. If you were ever to buy a car from me, you'd receive extremely detailed maintenance records, receipts, etc. (most of which are in paper and PDF). And that big ol' folder is a heck of a lot better than any Carfax...
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
Yes, you can use the Carfax app for all your DIY maintenance documentation and tracking. The problem is, none of your DIY entries will show up in an official Carfax report.
Kestas
Staff member
Every time I sold a car, I handed the easy to read maintenance records. It was always appreciated. They could sense that I was a conscientious and competent DIYer.
My records are typically no more than a couple pages long, and only include the maintenance items that are time or mileage dependent with corresponding date and mileage written down.
My records are typically no more than a couple pages long, and only include the maintenance items that are time or mileage dependent with corresponding date and mileage written down.
The maintenance section would not show any of your maintenance, only authorized entries by licensed dealers (Mazda, Pep Boys, Jiffy Lube, Ford, etc. etc.)
You can also add entries to CarFax, but it is for your eyes only, nobody pulling the carfax would see it.
LIke I said above, you absolutely can, it just won't matter....
Most of this site has threads about service intervals. When I sold our RIO, i copied and pasted out changes done of various consumables and their notes as credible evidence of care. I know many people value that -- it made our sale more desireable/hastened.
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
I used to keep folders and notebooks, mainly meant for the next guy, but I generally trade my vehicles in or pass them down to my kids, family. Dealers toss this kind of info right in the trash in my experience.
never give dealers more than you have to
We bought my wifes Hyundai Tucson used on 2020 (horrible time to buy a car...) We wound up trading it in a year or so later.
Anyway, it came with those Weathertech mats. Dealer left them in.
Anyway, it came with those Weathertech mats. Dealer left them in.
Zee09
$200 Site Donor 2023
- Joined
- May 5, 2018
- Messages
- 20,871
This year I had a negative experience with Carfax
I found a one year old SUV for sale with only 3500 miles.
I looked at the Carfax and it showed underbody damage and four new tires etc and the fix was done by Pep Boys ( hmmmm) .... the vehicle was a repo...which I later found out.
A month later a new salesperson started contacting me wanting to sell me the car from the same dealership. I looked up the Carfax again from their website and all of listed underbody info was now missing and had been removed...
Not sure how or why ???
I found a one year old SUV for sale with only 3500 miles.
I looked at the Carfax and it showed underbody damage and four new tires etc and the fix was done by Pep Boys ( hmmmm) .... the vehicle was a repo...which I later found out.
A month later a new salesperson started contacting me wanting to sell me the car from the same dealership. I looked up the Carfax again from their website and all of listed underbody info was now missing and had been removed...
Not sure how or why ???
I could enter that I did oil changes every 3000 miles, drain and refilled ATF every 25k miles, just replaced the spark plugs, serpentine belt, and did a coolant flush 5000 miles ago, (if it's a Honda) just replaced the timing belt and related components last month and so on. You know, 'cause people lie....
DIY work does show up to anyone that uses the app and enters the VIN but the number of people using it is no doubt very low. The app doesn't know if it was you or a previous owner that did the DIY work. Here's an example:
This is not my vehicle. It was my niece's that she sold with 100k+ miles on it, then got a notification that an oil change was due coming up on 36k miles....
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
Oh nice! I did not realize that data would transfer to a different login / username for the same VIN.
