Can i trust carfax

This tells me that neither is reliable. I no longer trust car fax. My grandson bought a used car and car fax showed no major repairs or issues. Turned out car was a lemon. It had a replaced used engine that was put in and never reported. We found out it had front end damage and replacements and never reported. Very disappointed, bad experience for first time buyer. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Submit Comment. Negotiating tips, money-saving tricks, and car buying advice. One new guide each week. No spam ever. The YAA platform is still in development. If you'd like early access, share your name and email and we'll contact you as soon as possible. How Reliable Is Carfax? Can You Trust a Carfax Report?

October 13, We ordered a report on a vehicle that we knew had extensive collision work performed on it five times. The report showed only one minor collision. In another case, we purchased reports for four other vehicles we knew were repurchased in North Carolina by the vehicle manufacturers as 'lemons' under the North Carolina Lemon Law.

We were able to find one vehicle on a local dealer lot as a 'local trade. On the other hand, a vehicle with a CARFAX history report that shows major collision damage shouldn't necessarily be considered a bad car. Further, when the report is provided by the dealer, you cannot be absolutely sure that the report is current and accurate and that the vehicle has not been in an accident or damaged.

Why should consumers take Carfax reports provided by dealers with a grain of salt? Here are three reasons to consider:. If you were the victim of auto fraud, it is important to understand that you have legal rights. Say, for instance, someone gets in an accident, then their buddy repairs the vehicle damage. Some cars were contorted beyond recognition due to roll-overs; others had staved-in bumpers and disfigured front ends.

But the records only showcase completed repairs — not current issues. Likewise, existing issues, such as underbody rust and tattered upholstery, also go undocumented. Are reports from these organizations more accurate? According to Consumer Reports, the answer is no.

During its study, CR tested five different history report services, all of which delivered occasional inaccuracies.