CARFAX...Useless Scam!

Non-Suzuki related topics. Anything can go here.
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Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

My ex-Heep is featured on the trading dealer's web-site all shined up and looking like new. They have a link to the car fax report which contains the 'Detailed Histoy' of the Jeep.

All I can say is WOW!! Talk about lying by ommission. That said, I have no idea how Carfax operates or who's responsible for the content. That in and of itself is why I'd never pay for, or trust, information like that. No activity between 40 miles and 35,767, which is ironic of course, since most all of the bad crap was dealt with during this time. The shop had it more than I did. Nothing about the transfer case being replaced. Nothing about the rear axle seals being replaced 3 times, nothing about the engine rear main bearing seal being replaced twice or the trans input shaft bearing seal being replaced, nothing about the A/C compressor taking a dump or the battery and tray being replaced because it leaked all over the tray. And to boot, those items that were reported, were presesnted in such a fashion as to lead one to believe they were things of a routine inspection, making it look like a well maintained (by others) vehicle. Such as 'Engine Checked'. WTF does that mean you ask? Well as the previous owner, I'll tell you that it should have read "customer complained, repeatedly, about valve ticking and clacking and was concerned about the longevity of the engine's camshaft and flat tappet lifters". (dealer response to that, repeatedly, was jeeps are noisey). :shock: WOW.

Now that I think about it, good for me!! If all that factual information was visible, they would not have given me crap for it. :hi:

As always, don't believe everything someone tells you or that you read about AND buyer be-aware.
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
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TheHolyGhost
Posts: 797
Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2010 7:59 pm
Location: Philadelphia

I was under the impression that Carfax was more for accidents, body damage and the like, rather than maintenance, routine or not.
2010 Kizashi GTS
6 speed
Platinum Silver Metallic (Battle wounded)

2014 Ford Focus Titanium Hatchback

Past Cars:
2008 Subaru Legacy 2.5i
1998 Audi A4 1.8TQM
1998 Dodge Avenger ES
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AlexRuiz
Posts: 195
Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2010 4:49 pm
Location: Detroit metro, MI

TheHolyGhost wrote:I was under the impression that Carfax was more for accidents, body damage and the like, rather than maintenance, routine or not.
Major repair stuff is also supposed to make it there, but as Ron mentioned, it is probably better for him ;)
On the other hand, there is useless cr@p that is reported, and very vaguely or even falsely. When selling my previous car, there was a note that said "accident". That was in reality just a police incident report as I had gone into a ditch (taking a ramp too fast in a rainy day) and I needed a tow truck. The police showed at the scene, and the officer just prepared an incident report.... carfax / autocheck showed it as "accident"

The new buyer inquired about it, I just showed the police incident report and everything was fine.
2010 Suzuki Kizashi S MT
Blackbelt
Posts: 167
Joined: Wed Nov 24, 2010 3:18 pm

Carfax sucks. I had a run in with them where they got something wrong with a car i was selling, and they refused to correct it. I had to spend my own time and money to get all the documentation to correct THEIR SCREWUP. Once i gave them everything, they took over a month to correct their records( all this while i was trying sell that car), not even a "sorry blackbelt" or anything like that.
Here is an interesting report about how bad carfax sucks. It's a long report but pretty interesting. The carfax spokesman is a real douche.
http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2009/vehi ... /main.html

Hard to believe people actually pay them for this crap.
2010 Kizashi S AWD
2009 Suzuki SX-4 Touring AWD
2008 Smart fortwo Passion Coupe
2007 Dodge Caliber R/T AWD
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Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

Good link Blackbelt...thanks.
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
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metatrox
Posts: 208
Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2010 5:04 am

My Saleen Mustang was listed as 3 different color in CarFax but it had never been painted before as it was the original Paint color. LOL
Image
2010 SLS, Platinum Silver.
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uforaverwill
Posts: 132
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 6:08 pm

You can always check this site as well. It has been a great source if the vehicle has been stolen, flood damage, etc. Check it out.

https://www.nicb.org//
2010 Kizashi SE
Platinum Silver
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TheHolyGhost
Posts: 797
Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2010 7:59 pm
Location: Philadelphia

NICB can be a good resource as well. It just goes to show, however, that you should always have your car checked by a mechanic you trust. My brother got a car with frame damage that had a clear carfax. One time he was driving and the rear window just blew out and that's how he found out, scary stuff.
2010 Kizashi GTS
6 speed
Platinum Silver Metallic (Battle wounded)

2014 Ford Focus Titanium Hatchback

Past Cars:
2008 Subaru Legacy 2.5i
1998 Audi A4 1.8TQM
1998 Dodge Avenger ES
User avatar
Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

Well, since I started this thread, the Heep must have been sold (or went to auction) as it is not on their website any longer. Ghost, that is of course excellent advice especially if you are not mechanically savy. Unfortunately, there's nothing a mechanic would have found wrong with my trade. Honestly it was perfect...didn't even leak any oil which the 4.0 is notorious for. The real problem was a hit or miss cam/lifter issue that would of course never happen in the preence of the dealer. All the stuff I had them take care, that didn't show up on car fax, would have provided a glimpse of the quality issues with the vehicle. The real problem reported numerous times by me to the dealers, under warranty, which was documented only once on the carfax report as 'inspected engine', will become painfully obvious when it starts throwing miss-fire codes (very soon). Then at that point, it's game over, the cam lobe is gone and the flat tappet lifter has a hole in its bottom. Get out the checkbook because it's rebuild / crate motor time. Honestly, forums such as this are the best places to learn about pretty much anything you want to buy, before you buy. However, the real results of some problems, such as the one with the Heep, aren't realized until many years and miles down the road. This problem is now widely documented and exposed on many Jeep forums at the moment, so I'd be steering clear of buying any used 03-06 Jeep 4.0L I6 equipped anything.

Does carfax do anything like a warranty if their report is wrong and a buyer gets hosed? I doubt it. So I say again, what's the value? Taken together with forum research and this NICB, I suppose you'd be better armed to decide on something, but, PAYING, for a carfax IMHO is a total scam.
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
User avatar
TheHolyGhost
Posts: 797
Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2010 7:59 pm
Location: Philadelphia

There is a guarantee. I'm sure that they have a lot of outs, however.

http://www.carfax.com/manifest/bbg/termsConditions.cfx
2010 Kizashi GTS
6 speed
Platinum Silver Metallic (Battle wounded)

2014 Ford Focus Titanium Hatchback

Past Cars:
2008 Subaru Legacy 2.5i
1998 Audi A4 1.8TQM
1998 Dodge Avenger ES
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