CARFAX Report 101
by Eric Mains, AOL Autos
Posted: Oct, 08 2008With HP wireless printers, you could have printed this from any room in the house. Live wirelessly. Print wirelessly.
Buying a used car can feel a bit like buying a lottery ticket: you never know if you're going to win big or just be out of some money. Investigating auto history reports like CARFAX, can take some of the guesswork out of buying a used car.
Using the unique 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN), which was standardized as official I.D. for light trucks and cars in 1981, CARFAX is able to research a vehicle's past. A typical CARFAX report includes information about the vehicle's title, which tells a buyer how many owners a car has had, and whether the vehicle has been re-built or declared a total loss by an insurance company. Other benefits to pulling a CARFAX auto history report include an odometer check, major problems and registration check.
All of the information in a car history report is drawn from reliable sources such as police and fire department records, state motor vehicle records, auction records, service companies and consumer protection agencies. By combing through billions of these records, CARFAX can assemble data into a detailed auto history report for used car you're interested in.
While a CARFAX report may not tell a consumer everything that ever happened to a particular car, these reports can be valuable tools for a buyer in the market for a used car. A CARFAX report can provide the most accurate information for cars and light trucks made after 1981. Other types of vehicles, plus those made prior to 1981; do not have a standard of identification that allows CARFAX to make definitive vehicle histories.
How to Get a CARFAX Auto History Report
Consumers can get a CARFAX report as long as you have the vehicle identification number (VIN) of the car or truck you're interested in. (Tips on how to find the VIN)
Auto histories are available for single vehicles, but a serious used car shopper would be better served with an Unlimited Vehicle History Report. This option allows a buyer to see several used car histories during a 30-day period. Ideal when used car shopping across different dealers.
How to Read a CARFAX Report
A CARFAX auto history report consists of two parts: a detailed listing of the reported events and changes of ownership that occurred to the car, and a brief summary of the car's history.
The summary provides a quick overview of the important information an interested buyer wants to know, including how many owners have been in the car's history, how long each owner had the car, where it was registered and a last reported odometer reading.
The summary of the car history report should disclose title problems, for example, if the car has been declared a total loss by an insurance company or has been rebuilt from salvage. The CARFAX report summary should indicate if the car has suffered significant hail or fire damage. If there are title issues, this summary of the auto history report is flagged, and specific details are offered in the in depth section of the report.
The next portion of the auto history report summary monitors used car issues such as frame damage, airbag deployment and odometer rollback. Expect problems in these categories to be flagged with a brief description.
The more detailed section of a CARFAX report gives an in-depth look at an auto's history. Most people know that every time a car is sold, the title has to be officially transferred at the state motor vehicle department. The detail section shows the dates and places that title changes occurred, along with other important events: when the vehicle first rolled off the assembly line, police accident reports and manufacturer recall and safety information.
Problems that were called out in the summary section of the auto history report are fleshed out in the detail section. For example, if the summary noted that an accident happened on 10/31/2004, the detail section will explain that the vehicle was involved in a head-on collision on Halloween. One warning: CARFAX car history reports depend on official reports of accidents. These reports take time to be processed before CARFAX can access them. Recent or unreported accidents may not be reflected by a CARFAX report.
Why Get a CARFAX Report
"This car is HOT!!!"
Probably the best argument of why an accurate auto history report is so important for prospective used car buyers is the idea that the car could be a lemon. Sellers are motivated to push the positive aspects of whatever they sell. The desire to make a sale can tempt some to cross the line between good advertising and straight up lying.
A car's history doesn't have to be a mystery to an interested buyer. Accurate and complete information about changes in ownership, major damage and mechanical problems should be available to help buyers make an informed decision when buying a used vehicle.
A CARFAX report is one more tool consumers can use to level the playing field between buyers and sellers. Armed with reliable information gathered from manufacturers, insurance agencies, police records and official sources, a consumer can demand and receive a price that truly reflects the condition and value of a used car.
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