“Show me the Carfax” — a well-known tagline from a household name. While being able to access a used car’s history before you buy is helpful, how can you be sure what is being reported is accurate? Here’s what you need to know about carfax reports and how consumers can protect themselves.
What is a Carfax Report?
A Carfax report populates the data of a car’s history from various of sources nationwide. Some sources of data include U.S. motor vehicle agencies, auto auctions, salvage auctions, collision repair facilities, and insurance companies. Each Carfax report may include, but are not limited to the following information:
- Odometer readings.
- Type of title (salvage title, junk title, lemon title).
- Registration records.
- Accident reports.
- Damage reports.
- Collision repair history.
How Accurate is a Carfax Report?
Many consumers rely on Carfax reports when making car purchase decisions, but how can you be sure that the report is accurate? While Carfax gathers information from countless databases, it does not check the accuracy of that reporting. Errors on Carfax reports are not corrected unless it is reported by a customer that it is inaccurate — which could affect the vehicle purchase price. The following explains why.
How to Check if a Car Has Been Involved in an Accident
The only surefire way to know if the car you want to purchase has been in an accident or has defects is to have it professionally appraised by a diminished value expert (DVE). Having your car looked at by your appraiser ensures that you have the knowledge to make an informed decision on the purchase of a vehicle and that you are paying the appropriate price for the car.
Buying a car that has been repaired after an accident, without your knowledge of that important fact, can mean that you may pay more for the car than you should. For example, if you are given the choice between two exact vehicles, same year, make and mileage, you will pay less for the car that has been repaired after an accident.
If you’ve been involved in a car accident due to the negligence of another driver, we can help. Our team of experienced personal injury attorneys and property damage attorneys will fight to get you the maximum compensation you deserve. Contact Weinstein & Scharf, P.A. today at (954) 482-4534 to learn more.