carfax reporting question

[raaizin]

Under what circumstances would carfax report an accident 7 years late. I understand there would be a lag from accident to reporting but 7 years seems extraordinary.

https://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistory/p/Report.cfx?make=VOLKS&vin=16%7C26%7C-62%7C-36%7C-78%7C84%7C-95%7C-99%7C-108%7C80%7C94%7C-72%7C10%7C-32%7C54%7C-24%7C16%7C66%7C-111%7C-104%7C109%7C110%7C117%7C-61%7C&dealer_id=100002188&car_id=430356732&partner=ATD_U

 

[copcarguy]

I don't trust carfax 100%

I recently passed a used car dealer and saw a Ranger on the lot that I special ordered and bought new in 2007. I turned around and stopped in, and sure enough it was my old truck. It said "one owner / carfax certified" on the windshield. I informed the dealer that wasn't true. He said prove it.

For some reason I keep a key to every car I've ever owned, I don't know why, it's just something weird I do lol.

I stopped by a few days later with my key and the original window sticker.

The guy couldn't believe it when I unlocked the door to the truck.

 

[Shellguy]

Carfax has always been hit or miss. Cant tell you how many times I've found paint/body repairs with a clean carfax, its more of a guide than anything...

 

[JTK]

If you go to mom and pop auto repair or body shops, that's likely not going to get into the Carfax system. Dealer only service and you'll see every line item.

 

[AZjeff]

Carfax can tell you things about a vehicle, just possibly not everything.

 

[tomcat27]

Originally Posted By: AZjeff
Carfax can tell you things about a vehicle, just possibly not everything.


^ this. I bought a Durango once from Carmax and the Carfax said it was clean. several months into ownership and the sanding marks on the hood appeared from under the paint, as did rust in two places on the rear quarter and rear hatch. oddly enough, the accident info showed up on the Carfax at this point - obviously delayed. Carmax sent it out to fix the rust - once. when it re-appeared 6 months later in the same place but worse, they denied any culpability. no more Carmax or Carfax for me.

 

[KitaCam]

Delayed reports happen all the time and an honest dealer will tell prospective buyers:

1. that the dealer can only be responsible for the report AT THE TIME OF SALE.

2. that the Carfax is a strictly voluntary reporting form.

3. that the Carfax report is anecdotal in nature and can be misleading (right side and left side can be mistaken...vs driver's side/passenger side) and mis-reported...note that in New York the only comment will be "accident reported" to avoid such expectations of observational accuracy.

4. that nonetheless, it serves as a guide to inspecting/evaluating repairs prior to purchase, even for cars that have a "clean carfax"

5. that all used cars, regardless of the Carfax report, should be independently inspected prior to purchase.

Any dealer/seller that fails to disclose any of these facts, or prohibits an inspection prior to purchase should be avoided.

From my own Carfax experience the right/left side repair was incorrectly identified, AND the repair was missed by the mechanic. The doors still had factory stickers, but the passenger door skin was replaced, only discovered after purchase when I noted a hollow sound coming from the door upon closing, a "ping" rather than a thud, and was correctly identified by a body shop that installed a sound absorbing pad to the underside of the skin (restoring the thud) that had been neglected in the prior repair. The paint match was perfect though.