My wife backed the 2013 RX into an overhanging tree last night. I'd like to get if fixed right, while paying out of pocket (not insurance). But I'd also like to keep the Carfax clean. The car was bought last year CPO. If I go to an independent shop, is it reasonable to ask them if they report to Carfax? Any tips on finding a good independent shop? I live in Westchester NY. Thanks for any guidance - I've never dealt with this before. I tried to attach pics of the damage.

 

Have never had any faith at all in Carfax but believe it contains info submitted by the insurance industry.
Should you choose to repair it yourself I don't see any reason why it would be recorded.
Be careful which shop you choose for the repair. A messy repair/patch will show up very easily when you trade or sell.
Looks like the most cost effective route is to buy a used rear hatch from a salvage yard complete with glass. You might even find one same year & same color.
Have the trim, both inner & outer, transferred to the new shell once painted if it in fact needs paint.
Real world finds there are many new,or almost new, vehicles in the salvage yards.

 

Without a police report, there is no guarantee CarFax will ever get this info.
Submit a claim with your insurance and don't think twice about it.
I never had any claims show up on CarFax.

 

If you file a police report, it will very likely show up on carfax, as that is public information. If you file a claim with your insurance company, it is up to them to submit it to carfax. You have no way of knowing if they do that. Simply having your car repaired for cash will never show up on carfax.

If a claim for a repair shows up on carfax, and a future buyer uses that as a tool, your vehicle may have diminished value due to the report. There are several questions you need to answer. 1. How much will the repair cost you if you pay cash? 2. How much deductible will you have to pay if you submit it to your insurance? 3. Is the cost difference between 1 & 2 more than the diminished value of the car if it is reported? If it is going to cost you far more to fix it for cash than the diminished value of the report will cost you, then turn it into your insurance company.

Sometimes, a small dent, or even a large scratch, in the wrong area of the car will lead to thousands of dollars in repairs. That kind of damage, if repaired correctly and explained to a buyer, will have almost no diminished value when the car is sold. You really do have to take diminished value into account before submitting a claim for minor repairs.

 

Lexus of Greenwich subs out their crash work, I think to Classic Auto in Greenwich. They did a very nice job on our rear bumper repair. If you want to avoid going to a dealer or your insurance, they could be a good place to try.