carfax report puzzled
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 498
Likes: 18
From: Santa Fe
carfax report puzzled
I've been looking for a used 2001-2003 Supercrew. Finally found a black beauty in 2002 Lariat 4x4 FX4 with only 22K miles on it. It's a REAL nice, has black with silver as two tone color on it. Strangely, it had solid silver colored FORD decal on front fender instead of trademark blue oval decal. It does not have brake controller installed, so I'm assuming that it had never at least had heavy trailer towed, which I consider it a plus.
My big question is that after verifying the carfax report, found out that there were three different owners on this Supercrew. I find it puzzled why it has three different owners in three years with only 22K on it. Other than that, the report came out excellent. Should I be concerned about it?
My big question is that after verifying the carfax report, found out that there were three different owners on this Supercrew. I find it puzzled why it has three different owners in three years with only 22K on it. Other than that, the report came out excellent. Should I be concerned about it?
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 498
Likes: 18
From: Santa Fe
The carfax report showed clean, no accident report, no mileage rollover, and no lemon report. It guarantees them. I'll see if I can ask for previous owner's contact name, but I don't know if it's legal?
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,728
Likes: 1
From: Damascus-Boring, Ore
Surprisingly, three owners in three years isn't that unusual, especially in higher-end units. There could be a variety of reasons. The most obvious folks think of is "problem child," but that's less common than you would think. There's almost as many reasons as there are buyers out there. The most common ones we see are
1. We bit off more than we can chew (high payments)
2. loss of job/change in employment status
3. change in marital status (it belonged to the ex-husband/wife)
4. Wife (or husband) hates it
5. Saw something new I liked better
After 30 years in the car biz, you know what the least common reason for trading is? A practical one. Seriously.
Two questions on this particular truck- is it a 5.4? Is it a manual transmission?
1. We bit off more than we can chew (high payments)
2. loss of job/change in employment status
3. change in marital status (it belonged to the ex-husband/wife)
4. Wife (or husband) hates it
5. Saw something new I liked better
After 30 years in the car biz, you know what the least common reason for trading is? A practical one. Seriously.
Two questions on this particular truck- is it a 5.4? Is it a manual transmission?
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Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,155
Likes: 0
From: Southern Louisiana
I agree with polarbear. I have sold new and used cars on the same lot and cannot count the times we have had the same car on the lot two or three times. In once case, someone bought the car new and it was repossed the next month for defaulting the loan (missing the first payment). that same explorer was purchased 3 weeks later and traded in 6 months later because the folks that bought it decided that they needed an expedition to tow there camper. it is not uncommon to be the third or fourth owner of a perfectly sound low mileage vehicle. another thing to consider..was the truck orignally purchased as a rental vehicle or any other business? if the truck performs to your liking and passes a mechanical inspection than i would grab it.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Tampa Bay, FL USA
CarFax is not perfect. First, insurance companies do not report to CarFax; they pick up accidents from police reports. Swerve to avoid a deer, slide off the road and hit a bridge abutment, come back on the road, STILL hit the deer then sideswipe a guard rail. Have the car towed to a repair shop, pay $4000 to have it fixed yourself, never call the police or the insurance. Not my accident, but the history of a car I bought several years ago. Nowhere does that accident appear on the CarFax report I have for that car. My point: you need to inspect the car (or have it inspected) for possible accident damage. Read CarFax wording carefully: "no accident history FOUND;" that doesn't mean that the truck was NEVER in an accident, just that they can't find a reported accident.
3 owners for a 2002 is not impossible, but such low mileage for multiple owners raises a warning flag to me. How many times is the mileage noted on the CarFax? Was this originally sold in Canada (BIG warning flag for odometer roll-back)? How many states has the truck been titled in? These are the questions you should be asking.
3 owners for a 2002 is not impossible, but such low mileage for multiple owners raises a warning flag to me. How many times is the mileage noted on the CarFax? Was this originally sold in Canada (BIG warning flag for odometer roll-back)? How many states has the truck been titled in? These are the questions you should be asking.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 498
Likes: 18
From: Santa Fe
Interesting analogy on Polarbear's part. I hope that's the case. 
It has the 5.4L and Auto.
It's in Dodge dealership, should I have it mechanically inspected there, there are several used Supercrew on Ford's lot, but nothing as nice compared to this Black Beauty.
It has the 5.4L and Auto. It's in Dodge dealership, should I have it mechanically inspected there, there are several used Supercrew on Ford's lot, but nothing as nice compared to this Black Beauty.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 498
Likes: 18
From: Santa Fe
Hmm.... the first title was issued in San Antiono, TX, then Albuq, NM and lastly Los Alamos, NM. Only one mileage was noted on carfax @ 355 miles. I'm going to ask dealer for the name of previous owner and go from there. Thanks for the tips, guys.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,155
Likes: 0
From: Southern Louisiana
i would let dodge inspect it and than take it to a mechanic i trust and compare notes. the best thing you could do is get a second opinion, any dealership will tell you anything to get you to buy a vehicle. getting a second opinion and seeing if the inspections come out to around the same conclusion will give you a heads up as to whether these guys are being honest with you or not. dont tell them that you will seek a second opinion at the time they inspect it, wait till after they give you the report to see how honest they are.