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cmitch
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Ala-Tenn
Vehicle(s): 2002 ML320, 2005 S430 4Matic, 2010 F150 Super Crew
Posts: 3412
| Should we be so willing to trust CARFAX?
I just got through running a Carfax on a 2001 MB S430 when I decided, what the hey. My Dodge truck has never had a carfax so I'll run one. This is what I found and what it REALLY is: 1 Owner: Sorry! I'm the second owner. I bought it in March of 2000 but the Carfax shows the first owner transferred title because of another State. Hail Damage: Guaranteed! No Problem!: I filed a hail damage claim in the summer of '03 to the tune of $2,800. Even though it goes in the shop this spring for paint, I'm not fixing the little dings in the roof. Estimated Mileage: 9,855 yr.: Actually, it has been driven an average of nearly 13,000 a year. So, now I'm wondering if the first owner got creamed on the turnpike and that's why the paint is peeling! |
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Marsden
Classic MB
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Capital City USA
Vehicle(s): Mercedes-Benz
| RE: Should we be so willing to trust CARFAX?
Wow... good to know. Hard to trust anyone that takes your money it seems. The estimated-mileage thing doesn't surprise or bother me, but the 2-owner thing & the hail thing, that's different.. BTW, try for a 2003 W220 if you can... they really improved them!
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iNeon
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| RE: Should we be so willing to trust CARFAX?
Heh heh leon... the neon I take my namesake from-- he's come in contact with about 9 objects. 8 cars...
Both front tires have been hit, the rear bumper has been hit, I've rear-ended two cars etc etc etc.
CarFax says there was 1 *minor* incident. I assume this was the accident where both front fenders, the hood, grille, bumper, headlights, foglights and airbags were replaced.... The last time mileage was recorded was 100,000 miles ago as well.
I'd never trust CarFax over my own senses. Any gearhead can tell a car isn't right if they don't get emotional over the car. Used cars are a bad idea. They're rentals, leases(both treated like shit because they're not the drivers property) or just bad cars that people don't want to finish paying off. VERY FEW 2-3 year-old used cars are traded off just because someone wanted something new.
When Mother bought the Taurus back in 2001, we were under the impression that if we asked if it had been wrecked-- that they were required to tell us the truth. The CarFax says no, the dealer said no-- but the passenger's door just doesn't feel right. Mother picked it based on the interior color and ignored my input... She's doing the same thing this time around.
There's one born every minute. |
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mcbear
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| RE: Should we be so willing to trust CARFAX?
I had a 98 C280Sport that I bought Starmarked at a Upstate New York Benz dealer in 1999. My wife got rearended at the end of 2000. The car was unable to be fixed correctly due to PREVIOUS TOTAL which had not shown up on either a Carfax or MB's vaulted Starmark inspection. MBUSA did NOTHING to assist in salvaging that situation.
A few months ago I ran across an old insurance card with the VIN and decided to run a CarFax just to see where the car was now. I knew that, while at a dealer [after I traded it in] one of the service guys plowed a guard rail with it [that's 3]. When I did the CarFax, there was NO MENTION of accidents, the number of owners was incorrect as was the mileage. The KNOWN accidents were $11,000, $9,000 and $4,000 yet none made CarFax. The Mileage was off by 60K. I tracked down the current owner and sent her the documention that I had. CarFax was not amused. |
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cmitch
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Ala-Tenn
Vehicle(s): 2002 ML320, 2005 S430 4Matic, 2010 F150 Super Crew
Posts: 3412
| RE: Should we be so willing to trust CARFAX?
It's also a good idea to run every car's VIN through the flood database which link is listed above. I certainly wouldn't trust CarFax on those, either.
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Marsden
Classic MB
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Capital City USA
Vehicle(s): Mercedes-Benz
| RE: Should we be so willing to trust CARFAX?
mcbear - 2/9/2007 1:11 PM I had a 98 C280Sport that I bought Starmarked at a Upstate New York Benz dealer in 1999. My wife got rearended at the end of 2000. The car was unable to be fixed correctly due to PREVIOUS TOTAL which had not shown up on either a Carfax or MB's vaulted Starmark inspection. MBUSA did NOTHING to assist in salvaging that situation. A few months ago I ran across an old insurance card with the VIN and decided to run a CarFax just to see where the car was now. I knew that, while at a dealer [after I traded it in] one of the service guys plowed a guard rail with it [that's 3]. When I did the CarFax, there was NO MENTION of accidents, the number of owners was incorrect as was the mileage. The KNOWN accidents were $11,000, $9,000 and $4,000 yet none made CarFax. The Mileage was off by 60K. I tracked down the current owner and sent her the documention that I had. CarFax was not amused. Wow. This kind of thing needs to be publicized further. Everyone behaves as though
CarFax is authoritative, instead of just another scam. 
Now how'm I gonna buy a used Bentley? This is too scary for something that costs $90K.  |
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Marsden
Classic MB
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Capital City USA
Vehicle(s): Mercedes-Benz
| RE: Should we be so willing to trust CARFAX?
Story hits the mainstream: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/06/automobiles/06CARF.html May 6, 2007 Motoring It’s the Truth, but Not the Whole Truth By CHRISTOPHER JENSEN AN Ohio judge will decide on Friday whether to approve the settlement of a class-action suit against Carfax in which consumers could receive coupons worth about $20 and the lawyers representing them $566,000. haha... the coupons aren't even worth $20... they're just good for one or two more BS Carfax reports. yeesh.
Edited by Marsden 5/10/2007 2:55 AM
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