carfax report

carfax report

The Importance of a Carfax Report

1. Understanding the Carfax Report

A Carfax report provides you with the crucial history of your used vehicle. This report is very important because it provides you with information regarding accident history, vehicle damage or flood damage as well as service history. This is privileged information that is only available on a Carfax report. You may be thinking, what is the big deal if a car has had damage in the past? No matter what the damage was, it changes the quality of a vehicle. Whether it was just a fender bender or major damage, it can affect the safety and reliability of a vehicle. Fixing damage is also very costly and if a vehicle has had a lot of damage repairs, it can become an endless cycle of recurring problems. With a Carfax report showing extensive damage, it is easy to avoid the vehicle altogether and save yourself from the purchase of a problem. Prevent yourself from being tricked by a seller who claims that a car is accident-free with a clean title. Title history can also be seen with a Carfax report and as you can see above, this is a prime example of how a Carfax report can prevent you from buying a problem vehicle. Keep in mind even in a private sale, there are sellers with very dishonest intentions. With a Carfax report, you can have the peace of mind that you are getting what you have paid for. Do not let unwillingness to spend a little more for a thorough inspection of the vehicle and a Carfax report. This information that a Carfax report provides you with can directly affect the amount you pay for a vehicle. A vehicle with unacceptable history may be heavily discounted; however, the seller will not always inform you of all of its history. If the report is shown and the seller seems too persistent that “minor damage does not affect the vehicle,” it is easy to avoid this situation and realize the vehicle is not worth your time and money. Even if a car has a clean history, a Carfax report can provide proof of well maintenance and, in turn, give you a reason on why a vehicle is worth purchasing. In short, a Carfax report can provide instant peace of mind on your vehicle purchase and prevent many problems and regrets down the road.

2. Benefits of Reviewing a Carfax Report

If you’re buying a used car and you love to purchase from private parties, a Carfax report is necessary. Not a mechanic in the world will pull up those floor mats from some couple’s front yard and look for flood damage. The prospective seller might not even know about the damage, but it will haunt you forever until you discover the repugnant smell of swamp in the car’s ventilation system. This is the first sign that you’ve been duped. A Carfax report might save you from this and an array of other sordid schemes. A history report will also keep the seller from lying or lowballing the number of previous owners or telling some story about being titled in another state. If they know about the title brand, they are required by law to tell you and that’s the kind of information you need to negotiate a fair price.

It will give you a better look at the car’s true cost. People tend to fall in love with a car they see on the street or at the dealership. However, their opinion changes once they start paying for repair work on whatever heap they ended up buying. A Carfax report will prevent you from making an emotional purchase you might regret later. You will gain a clear and accurate look at your prospective purchase and can buy accordingly.

A Carfax report is a summary of your vehicle’s history. The reports are a dime a dozen these days and much of the information contained in a Carfax report can also be found out by taking the vehicle to a trusted mechanic. However, a comprehensive vehicle history is a valuable thing to review and the more you know about a car the better your judgment will be when making a purchase. The following are the benefits of ordering a Carfax report.

3. Key Information Found in a Carfax Report

Accident history can be crucial in determining a vehicle’s condition. A major accident can have long-lasting effects on the vehicle. This is something a buyer would want to know. By checking the Carfax report, the buyer can find out if the vehicle has been in multiple accidents. The car’s title will be considered “branded” if multiple accidents were reported. Receipt of this information could turn the buyer away from the vehicle. Whether a single accident involving the car resulted in major or minor damage, it is reported to the DMV, and both body shops and insurance companies are required to report the information to services such as Carfax. Reasons the car was taken to the shop and extent of the damage can differ, and sometimes even the owner of the vehicle may not know the full history. An accident reported to Carfax in the past can be revealed when the buyer conducts an inspection on the car and finds repairs were made on the same damage. This can leave the consumer ripped off and feeling deceived. With details on damage to the vehicle recorded just once from the DMV, and then viewed with access to service records, Carfax collects information on accidents reported to DMV involvements. Necessarily, this information is of value to the next buyer who will want to know if the car will maintain proper drivability and undoubtedly, information revealed can affect the perceived value of the car. Carfax access also has the benefit of allowing the buyer to compare cars to the same model and year in order to determine similar car histories.

Salvage history is a very important piece of key information you can find in a Carfax report. A car’s title is considered salvaged when it no longer can be driven on the road and is considered a total loss by the insurance company. It’s a red flag for buyers because it dramatically affects the car’s safety and value. Salvaged cars have usually sustained major body damage and servicing problems down the road can be very costly. No one wants to end up with a car that will be unsafe to drive and will cost an arm and a leg for repairs. By checking the Carfax report, the buyer can be rest assured that no salvage title exists for the car in question.

4. How to Obtain a Carfax Report

Carfax.com is the main website where you can order a Carfax report, and they offer a few different services to obtain the report. If you’re in the market for a car, you can ask the dealer or the owner of the car to provide you with a current report, which will allow you to look at it with fresh eyes and hopefully give you a better deal. Carfax also offers an awesome deal, which allows you to obtain an unlimited amount of reports within a certain time frame with their buyback program. If you’re in between cars and you’re a little unsure about how long it will take you to buy your next vehicle, you can purchase a single report, which is best if you’re just looking at cars being sold by individuals. The report carries all the vehicle’s data and vital information right on the report itself. This is good to go because you don’t want the seller to be providing you with a report that can be altered or doctored in any way. When purchasing your car, if you have a smartphone, you can download the Carfax for Android app or the Carfax for iOS app. This allows you to scan the vehicle’s VIN right from your phone, and it will immediately pull up the vehicle’s report. A very fast and convenient way to obtain the vehicle’s information right on the spot, and it’s easily accessible. Carfax offers more tips on obtaining their reports. Make sure you know the right VIN on the car you’re buying; it will save you a few dollars. Vehicle owners, it is best to obtain a report for a potential buyer of your vehicle, and there’s nothing to lose if you do it. Finally, when in doubt and if you still are having trouble finding a way to obtain the report, contact Carfax customer service, and they can point you in the right direction and make sure there are no flaws in trying to get the source.

5. Making Informed Decisions with a Carfax Report

A Carfax report allows used car buyers to make informed decisions when shopping for a used vehicle. Without a Carfax, a used car buyer can purchase a vehicle with an unknown history, and without any possibility of recouping the cost of repairing any hidden damages the vehicle may have. In essence, Carfax gives the buyer a choice in the used-vehicle market that he might otherwise not have. Carfax offers a few ways that a potential buyer can access its services. First, Carfax reports are given to used car shoppers by many car dealerships as a selling tool which in itself is an indication of the overall quality of the dealer. A dealer willing to give out free Carfax reports is showing that he has nothing to hide on the vehicle and has already built some trust with the potential buyer. Additionally, Carfax reports are sometimes included in the sale price of a vehicle and can be purchased by the seller for around $20. Finally, potential buyers can purchase a report on any car by using the vehicle identification number (VIN number) of the car and paying the $20 fee. This could be a major bargaining tool for a potential buyer on a lower cost vehicle who does not want to spend the extra money on a report. If the dealer will not provide a free or discounted report, the buyer can purchase one himself to ensure that he is fully informed during the purchase. Since a Carfax report offers so much information on the history of a vehicle, there are innumerable ways that it can shape the decision of a potential car buyer.