- Oct 9, 1999
- 15,031
- 14
- 81
I found this while searching over at Slickdeals, a couple of (legitimate) alternatives to Carfax, run by the National Insurance Crime Bureau and the DOJ.
First check to see that a car you're looking at has never been reported stolen:
https://www.nicb.org/theft_and_fraud_awareness/vincheck/vincheck
Then, from the DOJ website you can follow a link to several websites that will give you basic information for $4-$6 such as:
- Titling history
- Salvage title
- Cash for Clunkers
- Flood
- Odometer
- Rental/Taxi registration
http://www.vehiclehistory.gov/nmvtis_vehiclehistory.html
So the nearest that I can figure, these give you everything that Carfax does with the exception of accident history, for a fraction of the price. Carfax has been going up and up in price over the years, even just last year you could get unlimited for a month for $40 (used to be $30 for the same thing), now it is 5 reports for $45. These will get you most of the way there for a fraction of the price. I know from a previous car I owned, an accident causing $6,000 in damage did not show up in the carfax, so the accident history may be of limited use.
If you're looking at multiple cars the 5/$45 carfax could still be a better deal, but if have one specific car in mind, I'd think these are more cost effective.
Is this stickyable?
First check to see that a car you're looking at has never been reported stolen:
https://www.nicb.org/theft_and_fraud_awareness/vincheck/vincheck
Then, from the DOJ website you can follow a link to several websites that will give you basic information for $4-$6 such as:
- Titling history
- Salvage title
- Cash for Clunkers
- Flood
- Odometer
- Rental/Taxi registration
http://www.vehiclehistory.gov/nmvtis_vehiclehistory.html
So the nearest that I can figure, these give you everything that Carfax does with the exception of accident history, for a fraction of the price. Carfax has been going up and up in price over the years, even just last year you could get unlimited for a month for $40 (used to be $30 for the same thing), now it is 5 reports for $45. These will get you most of the way there for a fraction of the price. I know from a previous car I owned, an accident causing $6,000 in damage did not show up in the carfax, so the accident history may be of limited use.
If you're looking at multiple cars the 5/$45 carfax could still be a better deal, but if have one specific car in mind, I'd think these are more cost effective.
Is this stickyable?