A CARFAX report is needed to provide complete and accurate information about a used car. This helps buyers make more informed decisions and reduces the risks of buying a vehicle with a “troubled” past. Here are the main reasons why CARFAX is important:
Check for accidents and damage – CARFAX allows you to find out if the car has been involved in an accident and how severe the damage was. This is especially important since not all sellers can honestly disclose past accidents.
Mileage fraud protection – The report shows the history of odometer readings, which helps to identify cases of mileage twisting, which is one of the most common fraud schemes in the used car market.
Legal Clearance Check – CARFAX shows information about legal issues with the car, such as:
Titles – Information about whether the car has been scrapped, rebuilt after an accident, or declared a total insured loss (totaled).
Liens – Information about possible financial encumbrances (e.g. if the car is pledged to a bank).
Owner Information – CARFAX shows the number of previous owners as well as their type of use of the vehicle (personal, commercial, rental). This helps you understand how heavily the vehicle has been used, as cars used for rent or as a cab are more likely to be subject to wear and tear.
Service and Inspection History – The report contains information on all recorded maintenance, repairs and completion of mandatory technical inspections. This can indicate how thoroughly the vehicle has been maintained.
Recall Check (recalls) – CARFAX will show if the vehicle has had any outstanding issues with manufacturer recalls. This is important for safety, as recalls may involve serious defects that require repair.
Preventing the purchase of sunken or reconditioned vehicles – The report helps identify vehicles that may have been damaged by floods, fires, or other natural disasters. You can also find out if restoration work has been done after significant damage.
Transparency in the transaction – By using CARFAX, buyers can ensure that the history of the car is transparent and avoid unpleasant surprises after the purchase, such as hidden defects or paperwork issues.
Used car buyers: To verify a vehicle before buying and protect against hidden problems.
Car sellers: To increase buyer confidence by providing them with a complete vehicle history.
Car dealers: To demonstrate transparency and quality of vehicles sold.
CARFAX helps reduce the risks associated with buying used cars and is an important tool for any buyer who wants to avoid buying a car with a negative history.
CAR FAX reports provide information about a vehicle’s history, including whether it has been in an accident, has any open recalls, service history, previous owners, and more. For more information, see Sample Report.
The VIN can often be found on the driver’s side door, next to the door latches, and also in the lower left corner of the dashboard in front of the steering wheel. If you own a car, you can find it on the title, registration card, or insurance documents.
Enter the VIN in the search field. After searching the report, you will receive a response about the number of records in the CARFAX database or the absence of such. If there are records about the history of the car, you will be offered a form with payment and contact e-mail. The report will be sent to the specified e-mail and shown on the screen after payment.
More than 70% of cars have hidden problems. Before buying a car at an auction, we strongly recommend that you check your car.