Vehicle History Reports: CARFAX
Vehicle history reports can be ordered from a number of Internet
companies. The first company to offer this service is Carfax, which,
as the name suggests, began faxing used car reports as early as
1986. Now, the Fairfax based company accesses 4,400
different information sources and a database of more than 2 billion
records to compile reports that are e-mailed almost instantaneously
to customers. Users can also get a free Carfax Safety & Reliability
Report that includes key make and model level information when
ordering the unlimited Carfax report option. The most trusted
provider of vehicle history information, CARFAX is used by millions
of consumers each year. CARFAX Vehicle History Reports are
available on all used cars and light trucks model year 1981 or
later. Using the unique 17-character vehicle identification number
(VIN), a CARFAX Report is instantly generated from our database of
over six billion records.
What You Will Learn
Every CARFAX Report contains information that can impact a
consumer's decision about a used vehicle. Some types of information
that a CARFAX Report may include are:
* Title information, including salvaged or junked titles
* Flood damage history
* Total loss accident history
* Odometer readings
* Lemon history
* Number of owners
* Accident indicators, such as airbag deployments
* State emissions inspection results
* Service records
* Vehicle use (taxi, rental, lease, etc.)
Leader of Vehicle History Reports
Today, CARFAX has the most comprehensive vehicle history database
available in North America. Carfax.com is one of the top five
websites that consumers turn to for vehicle information, and
receives millions of visitors each month. In addition, thousands of
auto dealers nationwide subscribe to Carfaxonline.com.
Why a History Report
At one time there was no way to check a vehicle's history. Buyers
could only go on the evidence in front of them, basing their
decision on the mechanical condition of the car. But computer
technology has made it possible to use the Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN) to reveal a car's possibly checkered past. Ordering a
vehicle history report for your potential used car is a simple way
to give yourself a peace of mind. If the report comes back clean,
you know there are no underlying issues of the car caused by
accidents, floods, and many other factors. And for many people,
knowing this is well worth the added fee. It is also a smart move
too. Your report is broken into nine categories: report summary,
vehicle specifications, accident check, mileage accuracy check,
lemon check, ownership check, recall check, warranty check and
vehicle history details. The different pieces of the report are
summarized in a table that may flag problems. While the odometer of
a used car might show that it has only 55,000 miles, the Carfax
might indicate that the odometer readings at key events in the car's
history, emissions tests or title changes, don't match up. Any red
flags will be obvious, and in most cases if there are red flags,
this is not a vehicle you want to purchase.