CARFAX (and AutoCheck) are internet companies that claim to have vehicle title, accident, and maintenance history on used vehicles. 

However, CARFAX admits there are thousands and thousands of accidents each day that will never get reported to CARFAX. The reason is that insurance companies do not share accident information with CARFAX and there is no central database for accident reports. CARFAX also admit they have very little repair history on their vehicles. There is no central database for repairs on vehicles.

It is estimated that a third of all totaled vehicles on the road today will not have documentation showing the vehicle was totaled. There are also many ways to change, alter, or clean a vehicle's salvage title. If a vehicle's title was never changed to "salvage" then a CARFAX report can only show it as a clean title.

A few years ago, State Farm Insurance totaled over 30,000 vehicles but never changed their titles to show the vehicles were totaled. Since the titles were never changed to salvage, CARFAX reports showed these vehicles to have "clean" titles. Unethical repair shops bought these totaled vehicles and made cosmetic repairs and then sold these vehicles to the auctions and to the general public.   Click here for more information about salvage vehicles.

Consumers filed a class action lawsuit against CARFAX (see below) because CARFAX advertising claims they have more comprehensive information about used vehicles then actually exists. CARFAX shields itself with the disclaimer that they do not guarantee the "ACCURACY AND RELIABILITY OF THEIR INFORMATION".

Any vehicle history report, can not tell you if there are existing mechanical or electrical problems, or if the vehicle has been abused or properly maintained. If CARFAX does report an accident on a vehicle, it can not tell you the extent of the accident damage, nor if it was ever repaired to industry standards. Only a physical professional inspection, by a qualified Technician, can tell you the TRUE condition of a used vehicle.

Beware, there are many dealerships, 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...

Below are ongoing complaints and problems with vehicle history reports:

Consumer Complaints about Vehicle History Reports:
• CARFAX Action Lawsuit Settlement Overturned
• Inaccurate History Report cost buyers
• Advertising Claims are misleading
• MSNBC Article About CARFAX
• Other Consumer Complaints against CARFAX

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

Deceptive TV ads used by CARFAX Click here

Only a physical inspection of every component, including all mechanical, electrical, and body & frame systems, will give you the true condition of a used vehicle. Auto P. I.'s 600-point pre-purchase inspection provides  a comprehensive professional inspection and a title information from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.