Used Car
Buying Help:
600-Point  Pre-
Purchase Inspections
Top 10 Buying Myths
and Mistakes
Why Use Auto P. I.
Used Car Inspections
The 1-2-3 Steps of Buying a Used Car
Master Technicians & Frame Specialist
Frame Inspections
are Critical
Determining the True Value of a Used Car
Used Car Industry
Alerts and Scams
Helpful Links and
Titling Information
Frequently Asked Questions
Buyer
Beware
A CARFAX Report
is Not an Inspection
Certified Used-Car Drawbacks
Other Types of Pre-
Purchase Inspections
Voided Factory Warranties on Used Vehicles
The "AS-IS" Sale Document
Odometer Fraud at Highest Levels
Flood and Totaled Vehicles are on the
Road Again
Title Fraud and Title Cleaning
A Curbstoner or
Individual Seller?

CARFAX is Not a Pre-purchase Inspection

For years, auctions and used car dealers were the only people that had access to title histories. A company called Carfax was the major supplier of those title histories. Thanks to the Web, vehicle title histories are now available to consumers. However, Carfax has come under attack for promoting information about vehicles that their data bases don't have.

CARFAX (and AutoCheck) are internet companies that originally sold title history information on used vehicles. These companies now claim to have extensive accident and mechanical information on used vehicles. However, these companies do not guarantee the "ACCURACY AND RELIABILITY OF ITS INFORMATION".

These companies have reliable data only on vehicle titles. For example if a vehicle was titled from one state to another, CARFAX will have that information. However, if a vehicle has been totaled, CARFAX will only report this if the State branded the title "salvage or reconditioned". There are many totaled vehicles that never received a salvage or reconditioned title. There are also many illegal ways to change, alter, or clean a vehicle's documents and history. For example, State Farm Insurance totaled over 30,000 vehicles but never had their titles branded and totaled. If the vehicle's title is never reported as "totaled" to the State, then CARFAX data base will show that these damaged vehicles as good vehicles to buy.

CARFAX admits it has very little data about vehicle accident and repair history. There are thousands and thousands of accidents that happen each day that will never get reported to CARFAX. There are no central databases for accident information and/or repair history. Insurance companies do not share vehicle accident information with CARFAX and accurate repair history is even harder to get.

A vehicle title report or history report, will never tell you if there are existing mechanical or electrical problems, or if the vehicle has been abused or properly maintained. If the CARFAX reports an accident, it can not tell you the extent of the accident damage or if it was ever repaired to industry standards.

There are many dishonest salespeople and individuals that use a "clean" CARFAX report to  sell vehicles with known problems such as previous accident damage, mechanical & electrical troubles, odometer discrepancies, flood damage, frame damage, etc...

Knowing what states the vehicle came from can be good information. However, below are current complaints and problems associated with there companies selling vehicle history reports:

ConsumerAffairs.com complaints on Carfax
"Unlimited" Service is not Unlimited
Inaccurate Report Cost Buyers
Refund Policy is a Scam
Seller Complaints Against Carfax
Advertising Claims are Misleading
Class Action Lawsuit Challenges Carfax Claims
Class Action Lawsuit Settlement a Sham

CBS News consumer alert report on CARFAX  Click Here   (30mb MPG file)

Deceptive TV ads used by CARFAX  Click here

Lawsuits against CARFAX  Click here 

MSNBC article against CARFAX  Click here 

Only a physical inspection and evaluation of every components and system can give you the true condition of a used vehicle. Auto P. I.'s 600-point pre-purchase inspection provides  a professional physical inspection and a title search from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles for title discrepancies.

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Any vehicle document can be "cleaned" or "washed" by the unethical. However, physical inspection of the vehicle by Auto P. I. Used Car Inspections will discover odometer discrepancies, excessive wear and tear, flood damage, accident damage, mechanical problems, electrical problems, frame problems, and more... before you purchase the vehicle.

Don't Buy a Used Car With Past or Current Problems
Know the True Condition by Scheduling Auto P. I.'s 600-Point Inspection.

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