How accurate is Carfax?

[boyRacer]

I've gotten mixed opinions on them.

I'm in the market for a car and have found a couple or so that I'm interested in. I just don't know if I can count on everything Carfax is telling me. TIA.

 

[kranky]

Do you think Carfax has false information in the report? Or do you think Carfax isn't reporting everything they know?

I think the only thing you have to worry about is what happened to the car which isn't known to Carfax.

 

[Antisocial Virge]

Friends car had the rear axle ripped out from under it when he got rear ended by a motorcycle. Repaired by the dealership but never showed up on a carfax of the car. Better then nothing though.

 

[VWhed]

If you fix the car yourself (ie. no insurance...) It wouldn't show up

 

[boyRacer]

Well one of my parents cars have been in two accidents, both were reported to DMV by insurance, and none of them are showing up. Does anyone know if it has to be a big accident before it shows up?

Some people online are getting accident reports on their cars even though they have never been in one. I'm not saying those people are more credible, I just thought Carfax would be more accurate since so many people recommend them.

 

[imported_weadjust]

Fender benders or maintenance won't show on a carfax.

If the car has been totaled a salvage title will or should show up. Car fax is good for mileage roll backs and salvage titles.

It will also show all the previous owners and you may be able to tell if the car was at fleet or rental car at some point.

 

[CorCentral]

Originally posted by: VWhed
If you fix the car yourself (ie. no insurance...) It wouldn't show up

Cha CHING......... We have a winner! A free CarFax report

 

[boyRacer]

Originally posted by: weadjust
Fender benders or maintenance won't show on a carfax.

If the car has been totaled a salvage title will or should show up. Car fax is good for mileage roll backs and salvage titles.

It will also show all the previous owners and you may be able to tell if the car was at fleet or rental car at some point.

Hmmm... that makes sense. I was incorrectly under the impression that every accident is reported to DMV shows up in Carfax.

 

[imported_weadjust]

It doesn't matter if you report it to insurance or not. Insurance companies and body shops don't report to carfax.

If the car is totaled the insurance co. has to apply for a salvage title with the state to sell the salvage.

The info on the carfax is from the state title records.

So you could have a car that was in a wreck with 10k damage on a 20k car and it wouldn't show up on the car fax because the car wasn't totaled.

Ins. Co. totals out cars at 75%(damage estimate) of the value of the car.