Carfax fact?

[Mark Stadnicki]

My wife's 6 day old all options 2010 Escape was involved in a sandwich accident between an F250 and a Durango in December that caused $12,000 in damage. The car was NOT totalled. We are now pursuing diminished value from the F250's insurer, Progressive. We had the car evaluated and appraised and are awaiting the report. The appraiser found alot of items that required attention and the car is back at the body shop getting them fixed now. I asked about not seeing the accident on Carfax; he said that if the police did not file a report then it will most likely NOT show up on Carfax? In Maryland, if no one is injured or has an issue with the law, they just have you exchange info and leave the scene. We didn't have anyone injured or law issues.



This seams odd that it would not show up on Carfax, how would the untrained person know to look for damage, used cars could be a craps shot. Why would Carfax be so touted as the all knowing source if it could possibly be not? Food for though I guess?



The appraiser said just keep it as long as possible as our commuter car and run it into the ground. We average 100 mile per day commuting in DC so that won't be hard to do.

 

[Todd Z]

Wreck a car and pay cash to fix it.... NO carfax........



My 04 was hit in the rear, cost my neighbor about 3 grand if i remember, they went through insurance.... I cashed the check, Paid the body shop cash and no report was ever made...



Its easy to get around a car fax.... They are more of a gimmick then any thing else..



Todd Z

 

[scott degroot]

I had a 2005 Dodge Magnum that received $14,000 in damges in 2005...to this day no CarFax. Our 2008 ST received $6000 in damages in 2009 when we got rear ended on the freeway..to this day no Carfax. Both accidents the police and insurance companies were involved adn citations...to the other drivers...were issued.



CARFAX IS A JOKE AND NOT TO BE TRUSTED

 

[chargedtrac]

Would that also go for others like Autocheck.com vehicle history reports? I wonder if they all use\access the same reporting services\databases? Definitely seems unreliable given your guys experiences.

 

[gary s]

from experience, i agree that carfax is not 100%.

imo, probably 8 of 10 vehicle reports very near accurate.

fleet vehicles now have maintenance records with the carfax reports.

 

[Steve McKellop]

Similar stories as Todd and L1 so no use relaying them.



Their liability USED to be $1000 but now it's "The exclusive CARFAX Buyback Guarantee reduces the risk involved in buying a used car. If the CARFAX Report fails to include a DMV-issued branded title (such as salvage, fire or flood damage, and odometer problemsCARFAX may buy the vehicle back for the full purchase price* which is a crock because if it's a DMV-branded title it's right there in front of your face when you sign a title and also on the required damage disclosure form.

 

[Rick Byrne]

yeah CARFAX is crap, it can take up to 280 days for information to be posted on CARFAX. so a guy could wreck his truck have a police report done, get it repaired and get it sold within a month or two and you may never know about the accident. then when you go to sell, SUPRISE, now it shows. my advice... always have a shop look at it.