ThomasGS4

iTrader: (19)

What I'm saying, t2d2, is that dealers will look at the carfax and will come up with a number on the vehicle based on that carfax, regardless if you believe the information on it is true or not. Think a car that has never been touched by a bodyshop would say "accident reported" on the carfax? Methinks not.

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

Obviously you're not going to believe me, but yes, it had stuff like that reported on mine that never happened. I don't recall exactly what it was, being 10+ years ago, but some sort of accident was on there that was purely fictional.

As for the mileage, I imagine Carfax is filling in whatever levels are reported, but most mileage figures I've seen are merely estimates as time goes by, based on expected driving volume. It's not hard to see how they could have a vastly inflated number after several years of no actual mileage reporting, resulting in what looks like a rolled back odometer when a real number shows up.

The only way the report would have helped the OP is in negotiating a lower purchase price. But if I'm the seller and I know what I've got, I'm saying to hell with Carfax's inaccuracies and it wouldn't matter, anyway. If I'm in the OP's shoes, I sell to a private party and reiterate my distrust of Carfax's report.

ThomasGS4

iTrader: (19)

Then I sure hope you'd have a buyer that thinks on the same wavelength as yourself.

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

That's sort of a key component to selling a car, isn't it? If they don't believe what I'm telling them about the car, then the sale isn't likely to happen, period.

ThomasGS4

iTrader: (19)

Or at the very least, they'd use it as a tool to negotiate a lower price on the vehicle, as you mentioned previously.


The difference may be negligible on a $1k, 25 year old Lexus, but the same could not be said for anything, say, perhaps more expensive?

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

Exactly, which is why I said the sale isn't likely to happen, period. I'm not taking a lower price because of a report I don't trust. They can move on to another car. Never sell from a point of desperation!

ThomasGS4

iTrader: (19)

To which I would say, best of luck to you and your hypothetical private sale. To reiterate the statement you steered clear from, this mentality would not work with a more costly vehicle with a countless number of examples for sale without some sort of price reduction. Why, as a buyer, would you take such a risk without some sort of incentive?

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

The statement I steered clear from... You mean the one you edited in (email notifications are a great tool ) after the fact that didn't really relate to what we were discussing?

Look, the OP's car says one thing mileage-wise. Carfax says another, but there are A LOT of examples out there of its inaccuracies, not just my experience. A very strong case can be made for the report to be the erroneous half of the equation, assuming the condition of the car supports the odometer mileage. Why reduce the price if you believe the report to be wrong? If you can't convince the buyer of the sketchy accuracy of Carfax reports, then you're doing a poor job of communicating (which could be said of me in this thread, apparently!) and won't be happy with the outcome of the transaction, anyway.

This is all assuming you have reason to believe the report is wrong, of course. The OP has no real way of knowing... One thing you could look at is how linear the reported mileage marks are. If there's little variance, they may well be estimates. On my previously discussed car, it probably went 15 years without a real mileage number ever being reported.

ThomasGS4

iTrader: (19)

Edited or not, it was there long before your reply.

Again, why would an individual give you two minutes of their time to let you explain how you "believe" a vehicle, for example, hadn't been in an accident, contrary to the CarFax's findings, when they can simply go down the street and purchase a vehicle that has absolutely no red flags? It's all subjective.

You're absolutely correct; the OP doesn't have a real way of knowing, neither does Carmax.

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

I replied directly from the email link and didn't see your add-on until responding to the part you wrote initially. "Long before," right... Maybe a minute or two. I consider your response to that a weak attempt to paint me as dodging stuff, when in fact you tried to sneak in a fairly irrelevant curve ball, which tells me you're more interested in arguing than addressing what I've said. I think we're pretty much done here.

Because I don't give a damn what they believe? If I know I'm right and Carfax is wrong, let them walk down the street and buy someone else's car. If they're interested in proving me wrong, let them do their research, tracking down the body shop who did the non-existent work for an accident that never happened. Betcha they find the paperwork matches a different car.

ThomasGS4

iTrader: (19)

Relevant? Yes. We're discussing the selling of cars with CarFax being taken into account.

Then on that note, we'll have to simply agree that it's subjective. I, personally, would've simply moved on to the next example. If you're selling, you need the buyer; the buyer doesn't need you.

Kappy550

iTrader: (4)

Waste of money? Sure Carfax isn't 100% but its better than going in blindly. $40 to know what you're getting yourself into seems like common sense to me. Come on people.. we aren't driving Kias here.

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

Did you read the rest of what I wrote? I ran the Carfax report on two of my cars. One reported an accident that never happened, the other was a theft recovery insurance write-off and Carfax didn't reflect it.

Now, how exactly is that information any better than going in blindly? Mis-reporting is worse than no reporting.

Bankswood

It is a Federal offense and a felony to tamper with any odometer.Punishable by up to 10 years in prison and between $2000 and $100,000 fine.

Kappy550

iTrader: (4)

You know what, you're right bro. Hope you enjoy that $40.