CarFax teaser

[RWebb]

what does it mean when carfax says - for free - that they found

"10 records on this 1986 VOLKSWAGEN VANAGON CAMPMOBILE"

and you'd better pay us $40 to find out if it is something bad...

is it likely that a 23 year old vehicle would have 10 "records"?

what ARE records anyway??

[slakjaw]

Could be accidents, lease info, or just every time the car was sold since new.

[BlueSideUp]

Any time it is emissions tested or registered it shows up as a record. They are trying to make you consider that it's been totalled, flooded, stolen, whatever else.

With an emissions test every two years plus someone moving around I'd say 10 records is reasonable.

[RWebb]

thanks - I read their ridiculous agreement and I am not excited by paying carfax.

I wonder if they just run DMV databases?

Seems like the taxpayers should get the DMVs to put their things online...

[Noah930]

Carfax (and the other similar services) seem to just check DMV databases and insurance company databases. If an accident wasn't entered into the database (i.e. because it wasn't reported to insurance, or if the bodyshop or insurance company fixing the damage didn't enter it into their database) then the incident won't show up. These databases also get purged after time if there is no activity. For example, California DMV tosses old info if there's been no activity on a vehicle after 5 years. I'd bet other states have similar archival policies. So Carfax can only look so far back, as their sources for information don't have that stuff available, anymore. Run a Carfax on your 20 year-old Porsche, and you'll note that the records only start in the late-90s, for example.

[the]

Originally Posted by RWebb

thanks - I read their ridiculous agreement and I am not excited by paying carfax.

I wonder if they just run DMV databases?

Seems like the taxpayers should get the DMVs to put their things online...

even if you could run all the DMV databases in all 50 states - you'd still have to buy a carfax (at least if it's a car worth anything).

the reason is, good or bad, just about everyone runs a carfax these days. so when you go to sell the used car you are currently considering buying, the potential buyer will likely run one.

you therefore really should see what's on it before buying the car, as if there is something negative, it will affect the value. it may or may not stop you from buying the car, but you should go in informed.