Most people have heard of Carfax. It is quite helpful in determining whether or not you should purchase a used vehicle. A Carfax record will report any accident or damage and all the repair records on a vehicle. Or do they?
Are there things that Carfax will not tell you?
Carfax is one of the most helpful tools out there in determining what your dream car prior owner record looks like! Most insurance agencies, auctions, dealers, import and export companies utilize it everyday. That being said, Carfax is only as good as the collision centers and the police reports that are filed.
A Carfax report will not always be able to report when a car ran off the road or backed into a telephone pole. They also will not be able to determine these things if the vehicle was repaired privately in someones garage or in a shop that does not have electronic databases.
How to protect yourself from buying a vehicle with an inaccurate Carfax:
1. Look at multiple services similar to Carfax. Carfax is not the only provider of these tools to private consumers. You can double check Carfax records with other services that attain their information from multiple sources.
2. Have your vehicle inspected by a mechanic you trust. Doing this can rule out any obvious issues.
3. Explore buyback options: If you end up with a lemon and find out there are issues such as branded titles, accident records, or damage, see if you qualify for a refund from one of the VIN check services. Most VIN check services such as Carfax and Auto Check have buyback guarantees to buyers if you later discover there were issues with the title.