Carfax vs. other VIN reporters.

[micky]

A friend wants to buy a car just for when she visits Baltimore, usually for a month once or twice a year.

Carfax, which was free when I needed it 6.5 years ago, is now not. It doesn't give the price now but iirc it is about $40 per car.

Is my impression correct, that carfax gives maintenance and accident info and other sites don't?

There are lots of other vin check websites , but afaict Carfax gives Service History Oil Changes Tire Rotations Open Recalls Brake Rotor Replacement Transmission Replacement Safety Inspections

Well it gives these things if the owner takes it to a shop that reports to ....?? someone ?? and if the shop gives enough details to know if your rotors were replaced or you only had a brake job. In my case, last time, most of the info was there in sufficient detail, but I'm sure not all shops do that. I'm sure some don't report at all, right? iled

And the other sites give recalls but do any give mainenance, repairs, and accident history.

Carfax also says it gives: Accident Data Accident History Damage Severity (Severe/Minor) Damage Location/Point of Impact Records of Damage Repair Airbag Deployment

Any experience with this?

From an email: Carfax, which was free 7 years ago, is now expensive. but there are a lot of others that are almost free for the first 7 days, if you want to check on the car. You can use the vin number to check for recalls and salvage. I've only done that once and the car was fine.

free to show if stolen or salvage A maximum of five searches can be conducted within a 24-hour period per IP address. $2.95 UNLIMITED VIN and Plate Lookups (7-Day Trial) Your 7-day $1 membership trial is limited to running

50 reports. After your 7 day trial, you will be billed $22.99 /month. free but what? free, it says. Doesn't list maintenance, which Carfax has. I wouldnt' worry much about how much maintenance it had, unless it was the engine from the Chrysler Sebring. 5 dollar version is much better than 1 dollar, because you can save results instead of just viewing them on the screen***. limited to running 100 reports during the trial period. ***Bumper.com had two rates too when I looked in January. I think they still do and maybe it's the same difference, abiltiy to download the results. kelly blue book, might be free, I can't tell. expensive. I think it was $40 per car, but it gives lots of info, ownership, accidents, service information if car was serviced at a place that reports. I don't know yet what the other ones show, except the first one which is free and says if stolen or salvage. The prior owner of my car had almost all her service done at places that report, so i know what had been done, I know she already replaced the timing belt. They can break. My previous car, also toyota, had a timing chain. They don't break. But I don't drive very much.

[hubops]

In my area, most used car dealers will provide the CarFax Report just for asking. As with anything - buyer beware - lots of things can be hidden from the data reporting that CarFax uses ! .. bad things like unreported accidents & major failures .. "good" things like extra maintenance and rustproofing Buy a decent make & model from a reputable dealer - pay a little more but worry less. Those "private sales" can be fine if you _really_ know cars and do _all_ your homework - - most people don't ! The "private sale - great deal" can be a curb-sider who is unloading a lemon that quickly becomes your worst nightmare and that $ 1000. you saved evaporates. John T.