Consumer Law

Used Car Buyers Should Not Rely on Carfax Reports

By Kemnitzer, Anderson, Barron, Ogilvie & Brewer

As most car buyers know, Carfax.com sells auto histories. Carfax' website tells consumers, "Don't buy a used car without CARFAX Vehicle History Reports! Order a CARFAX Vehicle History Report. . . the first step to protecting yourself against buying used cars with costly hidden problems. CARFAX searches its nationwide database and provides a detailed vehicle history report in seconds."

Carfax' advertising is deceptive because the reports often do include the most important information a car buyer should know--whether the car has been in a serious collision.

Reporters at a Vancouver, B.C. TV station just completed an investigative report on the unreliability of Carfax reports. The report gives examples of cars that had been in severe accidents that had "clean" Carfax reports. Car dealers use the Carfax reports to convince buyers the vehicles had never been hit. Car dealers typically buy cars at auto auctions where any frame damage is usually disclosed. Car dealers can determine if cars have been in accidents by inspecting for after-market components and unrepaired damage.

Full post as published by Lemon Law Blog on January 18, 2009 (boomark / email).