What is a Carfax?

As used car prices continue to go down, more and more people are wondering if now is a good time to buy a used car. There are a number of things to consider when buying a used car, and luckily, companies like CarFax make it easy to find answers to a lot of your questions. So, what is a CarFax report? 

CarFax is just one of a number of organizations that provide detailed vehicle history reports. These reports help you to decide whether or not the used car you are considering is a safe bet, or comes with some measured risks. Vehicle history reports aren’t free, but well worth the cost given the detailed information that they provide about the cars you are considering. 

So, what will a CarFax report tell you? Vehicle information is reported to CarFax from thousands of sources and can include: title information, odometer readings, total loss information, structural damage, stolen and recovery information, accident indicators, and service and repair history. 

So, what if the vehicle you are considering doesn’t have a detailed history? Some people would definitely consider this a red flag, but if you are still interested in moving forward, use this as a bargaining chip – negotiate for a lower price on the grounds that the vehicle does not have a detailed history. 

Make sure that one of your first steps in considering a used car is to inquire about a vehicle history report. This will hopefully save you some headache – and heartache – down the line.