has anyone used autocheck before is it as reliable as carfax?

Answer 1

The first poster has very valid points, & you should definately take his advice.
The Reliability of a Carfax or Autocheck report, when it comes to accidents, can often be sketchy.
But those reports can also contain valuable information.

Some times you need to read between the lines.

I found a carfax report on a vehicle that showed the vehicle had changed hands several times during a short period of time...yet showed NO accidents...however one whole side of the vehicle was obviously 'bondo', & accessories on that same side worked sparodically.

Also a vehicle with a 'branded' title may not be detectable to a mechanic or technition (even the most skilled )

I have used both Carfax & AutoCheck & I find them both equally helpful tools, & reliable.....but I find them both to have a measure of discrepancies as well.

Either is a useful tool ...but neither is a substitute for a visual inspection by a trained eye.

I hope this helps (more than confuses)
oh & I prefer Autocheck simply b'cuz it is easier to read, has a better layout, & seems to have a lot more to it...but that's just me.

Answer 2

Okay Mom,
Here's the thing, as a mechanic I have customers often tell me they got a carfax report so they are duped into believing this is some sort of pedigree or doctors chart of sort on the car.
Now, here's reality. I will use my own vehicle as an example. 97 Landrover. I hit a deer at 50 miles an hour last week. Lots of damage underneith and the right fender is bent, etc. I am going to pull it into the shop and fix it on my own dime. Last year some nit wit hit the drivers door at the grocery store. Hit and run. I fixed it at my shop. I bought it originally from a customer who had blown the engine. I fixed it. Because there were no insurance claims or accident reports etc, I am quite confident a car fax report would look like a clean bill of health. are you getting my point?? Those reports a just a tool that MAY find something but certainly it's not a crystal ball. The best advice, get a pre purchase inspection by your mechanic BEFORE you buy anything. Paying an hours labor is the CHEAPEST way to protect yourself regarding a used car. Remember, most people don't get rid of a car when its at is level best. It's when they just don't want to sink a single penny more into it ever again. there are other reasons of course but that is a common one. I hope you have a mechanic you've got a good rapport with. If not, nothing brings me closer to a customer like a plate of warm homemade cookies. Be leary of the guy who wants a 12 pack of beer though;} Oh, seriously, cookies and a warm smile go miles.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

Actually carfax is used to stop the cleaning title crap. Used to be if you went to certain States that stuff didn't need to be reported with the Title. So they'd go to that State and clean the Title and then move back to whatever State with a Clean Title. Didn't matter what had been written on it, the slate was wiped because they didn't keep track after the transfer. So carfax was created to stop the risk of you buying a flooded car for example, or at least a car that had been reported that way.