Imagine buying your dream car only to discover it has a hidden history of accidents and repairs. CarFax reports provide crucial information about a used car’s history, making them essential for informed purchasing decisions. In this blog, we will take a look at what CARFAX vehicle history reports are and why they are essential for users purchasing used cars! 

What are CARFAX Reports? 

CARFAX Canada is an Ontario-based business that is well-known for its Comprehensive Vehicle History Reports. CARFAX claims that users can “Avoid costly problems and drive away with confidence” by using their vehicle reports. 

The report tells you the following: 

• History of vehicle damage 
• Safety and service information 
• Other essential information about the car

Has it suffered weather damage?

Secondly, the CARFAX report informs users of the vehicle’s service history. You get to see reports of all past services – the problems, the fixes and replacements, and the cost.

Finally, it highlights information essential to make a purchase decision. This includes questions like, is the car on a lien? It provides ownership information, i.e., who is the owner of the car as per the deed/title, how many owners the car has had, and other related information. 

Read a Sample CARFAX Report here and see an excerpt from the sample below for better understanding.  

The Advantages of CARFAX Reports 

The information provided by the CARFAX reports will help you choose the right car and avoid risk. Here is how it benefits buyers: 

Helps You Determine the Right Price: 

The average buyer cannot differentiate between an accident or non-accident car. The most giving tell of an accident car is the paint job. However, most paint jobs are so professional that they don’t look suspicious to novice buyers. The CARFAX vehicle history report saves you the trouble of becoming a sleuth just to buy a used car. 

No need to get Hardy Boys acts on as the report will present detailed information about the car’s accident and damage history. Now that you are equipped with the information, you can choose it to avoid buying a car or negotiating its price. Cars that have been in accidents are less appealing to buyers and have higher insurance costs, and thus, they can be bought for a lesser price. 

Similarly, when you know about the usage patterns, title history, and service history of the car, you can use this information as bargaining chips to bring the price down. This information will help you pay the right price for the car and not get taken advantage of! 

Helps You Ascertain the Resale Value: 

With the CARFAX report, you know the precise condition of the car – what’s working, what is not working, what is genuine, and what is not genuine. With this information, you can determine the exact car resale value. On the flip side, if you want to sell a car, this report can help you establish a clean car history, which can boost buyer confidence and increase the resale value of your car. 

Helps You Avoid Scams and Frauds: 

Fraudulent sellers may try to pull scams like washing the title to remove signs of salvage or rebuilt status. If you don’t know, salvage status is given to a car by an insurance company if the cost of repairs exceeds 75-80% of the car’s value. On the other hand, the rebuilt status is given to a car by an insurance car when a car that previously was declared a total loss has been repaired, passed inspection, and is fit to be on the road. By washing the title, fraudulent sellers might sell you a car with damages, potential legal issues, and poor value. 

Some sellers also run the odometer scam – the odometer of a car is tempered with and rolled back to show less mileage. In this way, the car appears to be less used than it actually is. What does it do? Appreciates the value of the car, and you end up paying more than the car is worth. The CARFAX report will provide you with a clear picture of any vehicle, saving you from all frauds! 

The Cost of CARFAX Reports 

You can purchase a single CARFAX vehicle history report + lien check for 69.95 CAD or get a deal of 3 vehicle history reports + 1 lien check for 112.95. This deal is ideal for those who have shortlisted 2 or more used cars. The details of the report can help them decide which car to purchase. 

Some may think that the price of the CARFAX report is too big an amount to pay for a used car. However, we disagree. This one-time cost will save you thousands in repairs and maintenance if you end up purchasing a defective car. Not to mention the loss of time and added stress the defective car will cause you. Thus, we recommend purchasing a CARFAX report to avoid unwanted surprises when buying a used car.