I was poking around Autotraders and came upon this 05 ML LS with 47 k on it with a clean Carfax for 18,900. The cover picture looked nice but never judge a book by its cover!

If you look up lambmotors.com you will see a major rear quarter bumper trunk post collision picture(5k repairs at least). From this picture and the free clean carfax one can assume Carfax means nothing.

 

CarFax relies on data submitted by participating service providers, State offices, etc. If they choose not to participate, CarFax has no record of the service, repair, or accident.

I've always used CarFax as a means of eliminating cars from consideration, not verifying that a car is OK. A good inspection is still needed.

 

Caddy.. I like that statement (eliminating cars from consideration...) All to often people think Carfax is the end all to car accident info. Im w/you, get an independent inspection.

 

Actually that price is really high for a damaged vehicle, I got one like that same color combo with no damage for $19.9k an 04 w/ 64k miles. keep looking my friend.

 

I am half heartedly looking, totally content to hang on to my 04 premium with 123 k on it until a sweet deal rolls around. My 04 with 55 k was 17k more than 2 years or so so if I could upgrade for a sweet ls430...otherwise in a year or two I will have 150-175 k and in the market for a 460 AWD.

 

Lexus service history is always a good reference. When i was down to the last few contenders, the Lexus service site pointed out a few cars that have been in accidents which didn't show up on carfax. The more sources you have the better.

 

I was car shopping last month (all from owners not deaers) and called on an '02 avalon for $6500. The seller confirmed that it was garage kept and had the timing belt changed.

I showed up with enough time to view it in daylight but he said he was locked out and we waited for his wife to return with a key to house and garage (i think that was to avoid me seeing it in direct light) It looked nice except some odd dents near the sunroof and gas door. (im guessing it fell on a rcar transporter or another car fell on it) It drove great. The paint and engine compartment were totally detailed it looked nice.

So I asked to go inside and carfax it, id pay for the carfax in cash if he did it on his computer. He agreed and when he dragged out the title- it was a rebuid title and he bought the car from liberty mutual insurance. He was wearing a turban and trying to talk to me about his church in my town at the same time he was scamming me. He said it was a one owner car and you can tell from the title? (Insurance selloff = one owner LOL) Then he offered to carfax it, well i think I found out enough without paying for carfax.