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Carfaxes and Vehicle history
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shelbyscarab



Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Posts: 1009
Location: The Buckeye State

PostPosted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 2:17 pm    Post subject: Carfaxes and Vehicle history Reply with quote

What's everyone's opinion on carfaxes?

I've been looking for a different car now for a few months, and found one this past weekend that I like. However, the carfax lists a wreck in Sept. '09. The dealership is trying to track down the police report or a detailed damage report. If it turns out that it was a minor fenderbender, I'd probably be content, but obviously if it was heavy damage I'm leary. I did notice that the car had 2 exterior trim pieces that were coming loose. But this car looks great nonetheless......

What is kind of annoying is that carfax just tells you "damage", or accident....... what would be HELPFUL is if it told in a descriptive way, how bad the damage or wreck was, a total bill, or a parts list replaced.....

Question
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Sandy



Joined: 26 Aug 2004
Posts: 6205
Location: Northern New Jersey GSP Exit 148

PostPosted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 3:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It all depends upon WHO fixed it.

My 2003 Lincoln Town Car was parked on the street by my Dr.s Office. It was then 2 years old, with 1,600 miles on it. A drunk 20 Y.O. girl, higjh on pot, slammed into it in the back. It caused $19,000 worth damage.
The Lincoln needed a new FRAME, and a new pan. The pan forms the trunk "floor", the rear seat floor, the front seat floor and then, as you know, sweeps up under the dash & ends. It took 6 weeks to fix it.
Insurance would not total it as it was worth more than the $19,000

I WAS gonna dump it. KNOW WHAT ? Iti's as purrfect now (and when I took it outta the body shop) as it was when I took original new-car delivery. The paintwork is a purrfect match, no squeeks, rattles, and it tracks straight as a fired arrow. She is flawless.
I have now kept it for an additional 5 years (it's a 2003) AND it is still flawless.
10,000 miles on it, now. Also needed new trunk lid and driver side 1/4 panel rear.

So, if it is done right, no cutting corners, it should be okay
drive it. let go of steering wheel see if it trakes straight.

Check how the door close, and the electricals.

I was sead set to trade it in. I am so glad I kept it. It's flawless.

It can be done **IF** the people working on it, really cared.
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1990 Final Car prior to the 12 Silver Anny Editions
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eric5oh



Joined: 06 Nov 2004
Posts: 213
Location: Saint John, Indiana

PostPosted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 2:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't rely on a carfax too much. My buddy bought a Supercoupe new in 92 and went to sell it a couple years ago. The car was never hit and mint as mint can be. When you ran the vin, it came back as being in a major accident during his ownership. Never happened, and they wouldn't correct their info
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shelbyscarab



Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Posts: 1009
Location: The Buckeye State

PostPosted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 12:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

eric5oh wrote:
Don't rely on a carfax too much. My buddy bought a Supercoupe new in 92 and went to sell it a couple years ago. The car was never hit and mint as mint can be. When you ran the vin, it came back as being in a major accident during his ownership. Never happened, and they wouldn't correct their info


Wow. that sucks. All it took was for someone to miss a letter or number in the VIN and abracadabra, that supercoupe had an accident.

The salesman just emailed me and said they are going to have their body shop manager look over the car and give us his opinion. Thats fine, but I've already decided that I'm going to take the car to a private body shop I know well have them give me their opinion. If I'm told to steer clear of it, then my decision will be easy, go with the other one I found....

I've got it down to this one or an MKZ. You'd be surprised how hard it is to find a car spec'd out how you want it...... Rolling Eyes

Carfax should get more detailed with their reports...... yea, great, it was in an accident....... "HOW FREAKIN' BAD WAS IT?????!!!!" Confused
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shelbyscarab



Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Posts: 1009
Location: The Buckeye State

PostPosted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 12:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sandy wrote:
It all depends upon WHO fixed it.

My 2003 Lincoln Town Car was parked on the street by my Dr.s Office. It was then 2 years old, with 1,600 miles on it. A drunk 20 Y.O. girl, higjh on pot, slammed into it in the back. It caused $19,000 worth damage.
The Lincoln needed a new FRAME, and a new pan. The pan forms the trunk "floor", the rear seat floor, the front seat floor and then, as you know, sweeps up under the dash & ends. It took 6 weeks to fix it.
Insurance would not total it as it was worth more than the $19,000

I WAS gonna dump it. KNOW WHAT ? Iti's as purrfect now (and when I took it outta the body shop) as it was when I took original new-car delivery. The paintwork is a purrfect match, no squeeks, rattles, and it tracks straight as a fired arrow. She is flawless.
I have now kept it for an additional 5 years (it's a 2003) AND it is still flawless.
10,000 miles on it, now. Also needed new trunk lid and driver side 1/4 panel rear.

So, if it is done right, no cutting corners, it should be okay
drive it. let go of steering wheel see if it trakes straight.

Check how the door close, and the electricals.

I was sead set to trade it in. I am so glad I kept it. It's flawless.

It can be done **IF** the people working on it, really cared.


I hear ya Sandy. Thats the big question. Who fixed it, and did they do a good job.....

Wow, that girl hit your car HARD! That had to hurt seeing it wrecked so bad with it being so new and the low miles. Rolling Eyes
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plumkrazy



Joined: 27 Jul 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Ann Arbor Michigan

PostPosted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 11:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

CarFax can be tricky.

Sold a car we owned since new. The new owner ran a carfax and it said was in a accident. Which it was 3 time. Reported and fixed by Ins. twice. Twice rear end. $1200 each time in damage. the 3rd was side swiped and both drivers doors reskined paid the the person that did the damage.
If a Ins. claim is not done Carfax nows nothing Wink

Also you say the Accdent was Sept 09? The first owner may have dumped/ or damage was great and somebody bought to fix and turn.
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Sandy



Joined: 26 Aug 2004
Posts: 6205
Location: Northern New Jersey GSP Exit 148

PostPosted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 1:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Shelby, 'ya, I cried. I forgotto add the the trunk lid shattered the back window.
My selling dealership's body shop did the work.
the drunk doper was hauled away under arrest.
My car was parked, she hit it at about 30 M.P.H.

Here's the part you'll chuckle at....

I was in the waiting room at my Dr's office.
A lady patient entered the waiting room and said,
"WOW - there was a big accident outside, this purple Neon
slammed hard into a new green Lincoln.

I nearly died.

The cops on the seen were nasty to me, also
They seemed to want to flirt with her.
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Sandy passed away in 2012. He will be forever missed.

1990 Final Car prior to the 12 Silver Anny Editions
1990 Silver Pearl Anny Edition
1986 Coupe Full Pkg #109 of 114.

http://public.fotki.com/ascmclaren/ascmclaren_capris/sandys_mclarens/
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shelbyscarab



Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Posts: 1009
Location: The Buckeye State

PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 1:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ok, I went ahead and purchased last weekend. Went with the one that has a "car accident" on the carfax. The dealer supposedly tried to dig up more info about the accident but couldn't get any.

The car is pretty clean overall, and everything does line up well, there are a couple of flaws that are hard to see/notice. Again, not sure how bad the accident was, but whoever fixed it seemed to have done a good job.

But curiousity killed the cat.... Last night while wiping it down, I noticed a couple more minor flaws, (many of these I'm plannin on having fixed)

Michigan law does not require a detailed accident report in relation to carfaxes..... The car was registered as a corporate fleet vehicle, not a rental, but like an executives ride moreso.

There are quite a few of you on here from Michigan, is there any way that I could myself inquire with some entity in Mi if supplying them with the VIN # to try to find out more?

I'm happy with the car, its great, but still have some concerns. Confused
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negusm
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Joined: 25 Aug 2004
Posts: 5183
Location: Charlotte, NC

PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 1:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If there was an accident. There was probably a police report.
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shelbyscarab



Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Posts: 1009
Location: The Buckeye State

PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 2:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

negusm wrote:
If there was an accident. There was probably a police report.


Mike, there was some kind of special note on the carfax report that dealt with the police reports from Michigan.

If I contact the Michigan state police and give them my VIN # would they be able to look up the accident that happened on 9/14/09?? or would they tell me to to go pound sand..........?
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FoxChassis



Joined: 08 Dec 2009
Posts: 154

PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 6:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You would need an incident report #, or accident report #, etc. Sometimes that number is on a Carfax report.

But even if you had that number, it may be old enough to have been purged from their system (that accident was almost 11 years ago), or if it's still in their system, you may not be able to access it.
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shelbyscarab



Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Posts: 1009
Location: The Buckeye State

PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 6:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

FoxChassis wrote:
You would need an incident report #, or accident report #, etc. Sometimes that number is on a Carfax report.

But even if you had that number, it may be old enough to have been purged from their system (that accident was almost 11 years ago), or if it's still in their system, you may not be able to access it.


11 years ago? um, no. It was just 10 months ago.....
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capri50asc



Joined: 26 Dec 2009
Posts: 290
Location: Canton Michigan

PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 8:51 pm    Post subject: Carfax Reply with quote

My 1986 Mercury Capri 5.0 L hit a racoon in July of 1999. I damaged the Air dam brace that supports the bottom of the air dam and holds the Marchel
fog lights. I did report it to the police that night and a report was written up. I did repair it that night with NOS parts I had purchased at a Ford swap meet.But this past Dec 2009 I contacted my brother who sells cars at Bob Sellers GMC Buick and he ran the VIN. It states that my car was involved in a accident with a small animal . I wish I had not reported it, because it was very minor and just needed the metal brace. That was 11 years ago!

Chris

'86 Capri 'vert #0082
'86 Capri RS 5.0 L
'73 Mercury Cougar Embarassed
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negusm
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Joined: 25 Aug 2004
Posts: 5183
Location: Charlotte, NC

PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 8:59 pm    Post subject: Re: Carfax Reply with quote

capri50asc wrote:
My 1986 Mercury Capri 5.0 L hit a racoon in July of 1999. I damaged the Air dam brace that supports the bottom of the air dam and holds the Marchel
fog lights. I did report it to the police that night and a report was written up. I did repair it that night with NOS parts I had purchased at a Ford swap meet.But this past Dec 2009 I contacted my brother who sells cars at Bob Sellers GMC Buick and he ran the VIN. It states that my car was involved in a accident with a small animal . I wish I had not reported it, because it was very minor and just needed the metal brace. That was 11 years ago!

Chris


If you don't plan on filing an insurance claim then... yeah, why did you report hitting a Raccoon?

-Mike
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capri50asc



Joined: 26 Dec 2009
Posts: 290
Location: Canton Michigan

PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 9:41 pm    Post subject: Carfax/Racoon Reply with quote

Mike

I was clocking about 60 mph in Plymouth Michigan at 11;00pm at night. The racoon ran out ( it was about 20 pounds) I tried everything not to hit it, But I did. When I pulled over on a lighted road the damage looked very bad. Both Marchel lights had been twisted and pointing south. The Air dam was pulled out of the upper bumper and crushed under the bumper. I tried
to pull it out, but no luck. I thought I should report it so I could get it fix right at my buddies body shop. But when I go home and pulled the car in my garage, I looked under it and the steel brace was damaged BAD! But I had a brand new air dam in the box with all the attached parts from a 1979 Mustang Pace Car. I unbolted the brace and removed the Marchel lights. The Air Dam popped backing into shape and I just replaced the brace. I later had the body shop repair the old brace to make the NOS kit complete. Back then I did not know about CarFax Mike and I would not have had a police report written. But it did look like it needed a pro body shop to fix it.

Chris Rolling Eyes
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