Look At This Carfax Report

[Blown&Injected]

Checkout the Carfax report. No accidents reported and since it was a leased/rental type car, I would like to believe any bad stuff would be reported

Don't know what to think about it - rental is scary but it looks like it was a rental for just a few weeks and then leased to an individual and then sold to another (maybe the same?) individual that had it just a few months before it was sold at auction. It is so low miles that it does not appear to have been in commercial use. Just strange the way it was bounced around.

It is advertised as everything great no accidents smells new.

Date: Mileage: Source: Comments:
Original Equipment OnStar Vehicle equipped with OnStar &
Personal Calling
Press the Blue OnStar button in this vehicle, or click here for activation and membership information

11/12/2007 Florida
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Casselberry, FL Registered as
rental vehicle
(major car rental company)

11/12/2007 15 Florida
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Casselberry, FL
Title #0099727376 Odometer reading reported

12/05/2007 Florida
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Casselberry, FL
Title #0099727376 Title issued or updated
First owner reported
Loan or lien reported
Registered as lease vehicle
Vehicle color noted as Gray

04/03/2008 Florida
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Casselberry, FL
Title #0099727376 Registration issued or renewed
Registered as
personal vehicle
Loan or lien reported
Registered as lease vehicle
Vehicle color noted as Gray

08/04/2008 8,918 Auto Auction Sold at auction
in Midwest Region
Listed as
a fleet vehicle

 

["Turbo-T"]

Carfax = Only reports what is reported to them

 

[NASSTY]

Carfax = Only reports what is reported to them

X2
My 85 GN (BTW as of Monday isn't mine anymore) has a clean Carfax report but definately had some front end damage at one point.I owned the car for over 9 years and know the car inside and out.I can tell that it has had the hood,header panel,grill,headlight bezels and driver side fender replaced.The original owner must have had the car fixed on his own $$ without reporting the damage to the insurance company.

 

[Blown&Injected]

My GN has had insurance paid repairs in the 80's and a Carfax shows up clean but I think that was just due to the reporting back then and what made it to the computer record today.

I guess the question is: Do rental company repairs get reported? I can see them being self insured and slacking on reporting issues.

But then I need to think that I will probably be harder on a car then most others :biggrin:

I would hate to have to travel to learn the car is not as advertised

 

[stack1]

Does carfax report auto accidents? I've never seen a report that has shown any. I thought it would only show up if it were totalled.

 

[Little6pack]

You should see how scary my T's car fax is.. The car runs the balls & is comfy. I think car fax is added BS! If you can't tell from looking at the car your in sorry shape as a car guy.

Reminds me of NIMBY's using GPS devices what happend to good old fashion BRAIN POWER!

 

["Turbo-T"]

I think Carfax does report some accidents if they're not totals, not 100% sure. They're supposed to indicated flood cars and totaled cars.

 

[SilverSleeper]

But they only report flood cars or total losses from insurance companies.

My PT was involved in a flood, flooded up to almost the bottom of the seats. Insurance wouldn't even give me half what I owed on it for a total loss, so no deal. I kept it and repaired everything on my dime.
Clean carfax. No flood reported.
Also appeared to be in an accident before I bought it. As I was driving it, noticed more and more that the right front was peeling, cracking, bubbling paint, even though the opposite side was clean. Went to adjust the headlights, and found the right side been held in by a few screws on the busted up stock frame. Also way too much overspray for it being factory. carfax doesn't say anything about it being in an accident. Car has never tracked straight, and eats front tires at 2 pairs a year, tie rod ends 2 or 3 pairs a year.
I don't trust carfax for anything after buying this car. Granted if it shows something, then you know.. but doesn't mean its clean. Carfax is step 1. Step 2 is to use your brain, or find someone that knows how. Even so, the problems I had wouldn't have been spotted without a body shop going over it first with a frame alignment machine.

 

[Blown&Injected]

Carfax is like ohm'ing out a coil. It may say it's bad and it's bad, but it might say it's good and it's bad.

Problem for me is that all I have to go on is the ad, which is the sellers word, and Carfax - 1,200 miles away.

 

[SilverSleeper]

Someone in the area might be willing to at least give it a once over. Maybe someone on the board lives close enough to go look at it for you. I've heard of some people making arrangements through a local shop to pick the car up and inspect it for a fee.

 

[INEEDAGN]

As has been stated before most rental companies are self insured and don't necessarily report to carfax. However, they almost always LEASE their vehicles from the automaker at a fleet price (which helps both them and the automaker for several reasons.) They are supposed to report any damage over a certain amount ( $600 or so) to the manufacturer and it is supposed to be disclosed when the car rolls across the auction block. Each MFR. and auction has their own rules but whatever dealer bought it should be able to disclose if it has had anything beyond 1 or 2 panels repainted just by making a phone call. A side note is that anything that bolts on does not have to be disclosed, such as suspension parts.

Not all program cars are rentals, some are lease returns and some are the vehicles driven by the execs. of that automaker. Based on that carfax I'd guess it was a rental. Not necessarily a bad thing. Not all rentals get the crap beat out of them. In fact, my wife and I just bought an 07 Chrysler Pacifica ex-rental, 28K miles in one year of in-service and it has 1 small ding and a two inch light scratch in the fender. No bodywork, no bald tires, no evidence that it was abused in any way. We got it dirt cheap and we love it. However there are some that have had rough lives and it's pretty hard to tell via a few lo res pictures.

Mechanically you have nothing to worry about as it has LOTS of warranty left. But appearance wise you can't put any weight on carfax. You may get some disclosure info and any warranty repair info from the dealer if you ask for it. Otherwise you either find a neutral third party to check it out or cross your fingers. What is so special about this particular car that makes you want to travel so far to get it? Odds are good your local dealer can bring you home whatever you are looking for and if you let them know you are very picky they will find a clean one. If they don't they'll be stuck with it so they have good incentive.

Where is this vehicle located? Maybe a board member can help you out.