What to look for on Carfax
#1
09-08-2018, 02:08 PM
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What to look for on Carfax
I am planning on purchasing a 3/4 ton truck and have looked at Carfax at some of the trucks to see if there is anything wrong with them. Is there any thing specific I should look for that would indicate that I shouldn't buy a truck? Anything on Carfax that can indicate that a truck is a good buy? Thank you.
#2
09-08-2018, 04:17 PM
Ownership changes, unexplained gaps in maintenance records, the usual collision, flood, fire etc. A place like Carmax isn't going to let you see a bad Carfax--they wholesale those vehicles out. Someone selling flood vehicles has probably forged, falsified and made up everything anyway.
You can check VINs via NHTSA:
https://vinrcl.safercar.gov/vin/
So if you run that, the Carfax should show the same thing on recalls. A double check. Usually if the guy starts going from one foot to the other, lights a cigarette, offers $10k off while you are plugging the VIN into the NHTSA site, you will have a good idea.
You basic question about a good buy--NO, it won't really help you there. BAD buy, yes, you may get some indicators. If the vehicle is "as it should be" or "as represented", you can pay as much for it as you like. Going back to Carmax, check what they are asking. They are about as high on used vehicles as you can go IMO. Put another way, I wouldn't pay a Carmax price to a private party in most situations.
What?
Oh.....
You can check VINs via NHTSA:
https://vinrcl.safercar.gov/vin/
So if you run that, the Carfax should show the same thing on recalls. A double check. Usually if the guy starts going from one foot to the other, lights a cigarette, offers $10k off while you are plugging the VIN into the NHTSA site, you will have a good idea.
You basic question about a good buy--NO, it won't really help you there. BAD buy, yes, you may get some indicators. If the vehicle is "as it should be" or "as represented", you can pay as much for it as you like. Going back to Carmax, check what they are asking. They are about as high on used vehicles as you can go IMO. Put another way, I wouldn't pay a Carmax price to a private party in most situations.
What?
Oh.....
#3
09-13-2018, 06:24 PM
It's wise to take anything you see on sites like CARFAX with a grain of salt...the information you get there is only as good as the information entered into the data base. While CARFAX and other sites of the kind are fairly recent sites...my 33 years in the car business have shown me that they are only one of many useful tools when purchasing a used vehicle. One of the most useful tools available to you is to find a mechanic you trust and pay him or her for a complete evaluation...bumper to bumper...rubber to roof. I would also suggest that you find the tech thread that corresponds to the type of vehicle you're looking at and ask the folks there what to look out for. Good luck...and...welcome to FTE!!! 
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