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CarFax reports useless here in BC

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Patrick View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Patrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: CarFax reports useless here in BC
    Posted: 25 January 2010 at 12:11pm

For anyone who bothers getting a CarFax report before buying a used car, you might find it of interest to read this short thread at PFF that I was involved with.

 

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Matt View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Matt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 January 2010 at 1:00pm
Carfax isn't horrible either. Whilst looking for my new project I found a couple cars here in BC that showed that they had been written off. It also found about 3 odo roll backs of over 100K and dealership service history.

Plus it showed where the cars were originally registered, transfers of ownership and failures at air care.

I ran a carfax check on all the bc cars I was looking at and then compared them to the aircare history for any discrepancies.
http://www.aircare.ca/inspinfo-get-results.php

I also asked PO's for the phone # of any mechanics that worked on the vehicle to confirm it's mechanical history.

Then I checked out car personally, test drove and pre-purchase inspection.

All in all it was about 1hr of foot work, $10 for the carfax, and I knew what kind of car I was getting into.


I wanna go fast.
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Patrick View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Patrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 January 2010 at 1:19pm

Originally posted by Matt Matt wrote:

Carfax isn't horrible either.

Do you work for CarFax?

Glad that they appear to have been worthwhile for you, but when a CarFax report (that I got) clearly did not show that a particular vehicle had been written off by ICBC , how can any CarFax report ever be trusted? Who knows what else is missing from these reports. What they don't show can often be more critical than what they do show. I know I won't bother with them again.

As far as passing/failing emission tests and showing indiscrepancies with odometer readings, these can be found for free at the link you supplied for AirCare. (Obviously this only applies to vehicles located within the AirCare jurisdiction area.)

 

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Matt View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Matt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 January 2010 at 1:56pm
Originally posted by Patrick Patrick wrote:

Originally posted by Matt Matt wrote:

Carfax isn't horrible either.

Do you work for CarFax?



Yes, it's another conspiracy.
I wanna go fast.
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Capt Fiero View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Capt Fiero Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 January 2010 at 6:02pm

I do find the carfax's useful.  However just because it shows as clean, does not mean it is.  My old 85GT showed as a clean history with only minor accidents, which I KNOW is not true as I was in an accident with it that ICBC called a complete loss.   Hell even ICBC history report would not show the accident as I made a deal with ICBC at the time of the wreck to keep a clean title on it.

          Thats a long story so I not going to go into all the details here. 

          None of the reports even the ICBC and Aircare reports can be considered written in stone documents.  However they can be in indication on the cars history, much more so than just "looking" at the car on a sales lot or driveway.     I enjoyed finding out that my 88GT has never left the province and always been a registered BC car.  I liked finding out that I am only the 3rd owner of the car.  1st owner only had it for a year and the 2nd owner that I bought the car from owned for 18 years.         The ICBC history report told me damage had been done and what was repaired as well.

                   However playing devils advocate here, if I were to say lose control of the car, run it into a ditch and destroy the front end, bring it home cut the front off of the car myself, then weld on a new front and never report the accident to anyone, guess what.  There is not a report anywhere in the world that will have the info, short of hypnotist and me in a dark room.

Capt Fiero
88 Fiero GT 5spd V6
Eight Fifty Seven GT V8 5spd.
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Romeo View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Romeo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 January 2010 at 11:18pm
Interesting case going either way here. =P
Never shift into reverse without a back-up plan.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote grokan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 January 2010 at 12:44pm
Have you ever tried car proof?
Lets get it sideways
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Patrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 January 2010 at 3:18pm

Originally posted by grokan grokan wrote:

Have you ever tried car proof?

No, but did you click on the link in my first post and read the thread?

 

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Post Options Post Options   Quote Romeo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 January 2010 at 5:06pm

Yes, the one gentleman swore by it. Me, I don't think I've ever bought a vehicle from someone I didn't know...

lol

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Post Options Post Options   Quote Patrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 January 2010 at 7:05pm

Anyone reading this thread who didn't click the supplied link in my first post has missed the bulk of the information. Here it is again. Honestly, it's worthwhile reading if you ever wish to buy a report on a vehicle registered here in BC.

 

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