After having some electrical issues with my car and being told by the dealer that it had been in a front end collision and having the CARFAX report stating that there were no issues reguarding accidents. I did some looking and found this.
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news0...fax_facts.html
Needless to say I was pretty disappointed thinking that I bought an accident free car. I guess now I know why it also pulls a little to the left too!!
Very interesting reading!

 

Far too many automotive customers out there have bought into the hype over the past few years that CarFax is always 100% accurate and completely up-to-date on every single vehicle offered for sale. Nothing could be further from the truth. Never assume that CarFax is anything more than a quick view into a slice of time in a vehicle's history, and often a very weak one at that. Protect yourself by doing your own due diligence on any pre-owned vehicle you may be considering. Don't make the mistake of relying on CarFax as your sole source of information and history of the vehicle you are interested in....

I've never purchased a CarFax report and I never will. If a seller offers a CarFax report on a vehicle I'm interested in, that report becomes only a small part of the research that I do on that particular vehicle. But I will never pay for it....

 

Words to live by.
(mine was supplied by the dealer)

 

AH-MEN Jon!!!! Although I have purchased these services in the past, but same as Badmojo, I have been duped by them as well! Its a shame that Lucky U auto body or Lucky U auto repair isn't required to punch in a computer what they have done to a vehicle.

I have just read that report. Very interesting to say the least..........

 

wow, this kind ahas me worried now, when i got my car, it pulled to the right,and the front right side vlance was smaashed, aswell the rear trim peice was guaged, looked like jason had somethign against jags, but this was after they gave me the keys to drive home in, poor desision in my behalf now that i've seen this info.

 

Even the dealer said that they get a lot of people wanting bypass their insurance co. so it doesn't show up on the report.
I really think that it gives you a false sense of security. Before CARFAX I did do more investigating for myself and had better luck. Live and learn I guess.

 

Carfax is only as good as what is reported. Some States require more in-depth reporting, as I understand it (police, registration services, DMVs, etc) and others don't. Carfax is only fool proof if it DOES identify and issue.

 

I've noticed that dealers are now trying to hide behind Carfax reports. You point out what looks like previous damage and they will say, "oh no, impossible, I can show you the clean Carfax".

Unfortunately we are living in a Carfax world so even if you don't like them, it's still a good idea to see what it says before you buy a car because when it comes time to sell that car most potential buyers will be looking.
A company that houses so much data and can effect values so much should be regulated similar to the credit reporting agencies.

 

I heard of a worse one that was on the news.

Mechanic buys a BMW from a police auction, and later finds out it was stolen so they take car from him and he's out about 20 grand.

I don't trust any of that crap.