How Does Information get into Vehicle History Reports?

[koopkoop2]

Who actually reports the information that makes it into those vehicle history (Eg. CarFax) reports?

Is this information provided by insurance companies, police reports or some other source that I'm unaware of? A combination of all of the above?

[nbaker00]

Insurance companies, police reports, body shops if you get an estimate, dealerships if they service the car etc etc

[BlackArcher101]

And more importantly and common, registries

[dannie]

^ These guys couldn't have answered it better. Its a combination of all the above sources.

[koopkoop2]

Originally posted by nbaker00
Insurance companies, police reports, body shops if you get an estimate, dealerships if they service the car etc etc

Even getting an estimate will show up on the report?

[nbaker00]

Yep... I will post up an example in a minute...
Even if the claim isn't paid out (by insurance), and you just get an estimate, it shows up.

Example coming in a minute.

[canadian_hustla]

Originally posted by nbaker00
Yep... I will post up an example in a minute...
Even if the claim isn't paid out (by insurance), and you just get an estimate, it shows up.

Example coming in a minute.


You sure about that? I was just at a very reputable Toyota body shop and they told me that nothing will show up on CARFAX. It is only the insurance companies that will show up. It sucks because some lady knicked my BRAND NEW CAR (seriously, I have had the car for 2 months) in the parking lot and now the history will be tarnished.

thoughts?

[nbaker00]

Correct, it won't show up on Carfax, because that is useless for Canadian registered vehicles... I am referring to Carproof.

[koopkoop2]

Originally posted by nbaker00
Correct, it won't show up on Carfax, because that is useless for Canadian registered vehicles... I am referring to Carproof.

Now I'm confused. I thought CarFax was applicable to Canada too? You're saying CarFax doesn't provide any useful information for Canadian vehicles???????

[ragu]

^ Carproof is more reliable in Canada. Carfax might miss a couple things since it dominates cars in States

[dannie]

Carproof is a Canadian based application. Carfax is a U.S. based application. If the vehicle is a Canadian vehicle, dont use carfax. It can miss a lot of things on the report.

[nbaker00]

Here is a real life example....
Here the the Carproof for a vehicle that shows an accident claim worth almost $20,000
http://reports.carproof.net/view_report.aspx?id=C81297A42BA518

And wow, would you believe that Carfax reports no accidents?? :eek:
http://www.carfax.com/viewEmailReport.do?a=4eId0ag/YE4CjCM18GffzrHd%2Bv88CJr9xbov8ov%2BfUyhX6ndWRqzR9bDgDaCTSi3&language=EN

[01RedDX]

.

[Supa Dexta]

I had a car parked once, that some drunk managed to hit. it had no insurance coverage, and wasn't even registered in my name, since I had just bought it. I know carfax doesn't show anything, I'd be interested to see if carproof did, since I'm not sure who would have reported it in that case. And thatwas like 7000$ damage,.

[rc2002]

I bought a carproof for my S2000 and it turned stuff up that wasn't available on carfax.

It was a clean car, but there was a windshield claimed through ICBC that showed up on the carproof and not the car fax. There was also more registration history on the carproof report.

Just a disclaimer though - there's no report that will tell you everything. If the person got into an accident and paid out of pocket at a discount body shop, you won't see that on any report.

[topmade]

Originally posted by nbaker00
Here is a real life example....
Here the the Carproof for a vehicle that shows an accident claim worth almost $20,000
http://reports.carproof.net/view_report.aspx?id=C81297A42BA518

And wow, would you believe that Carfax reports no accidents?? :eek:
http://www.carfax.com/viewEmailReport.do?a=4eId0ag/YE4CjCM18GffzrHd%2Bv88CJr9xbov8ov%2BfUyhX6ndWRqzR9bDgDaCTSi3&language=EN
That's kind of scary. I don't think I'll ever use Carfax again.

[Supa Dexta]

Thats why I kept telling people in the carfax thread not to waste their time asking for carfaxs on canadian cars, especially ones that are like 20 yrs old.

[rc2002]

Originally posted by Supa Dexta
Thats why I kept telling people in the carfax thread not to waste their time asking for carfaxs on canadian cars, especially ones that are like 20 yrs old.

Carfax isn't totally useless - it tells you some previous owner history for the vehicle. And if it is a US car that someone is trying to pass off as a Canadian car, carfax will be a better bet. Also it's a selling feature for your car because a lot of times the buyer doesn't know better and a carfax report could actually help with the sale of a car.

20 year old cars don't warrant getting any kind of vehicle history report done anyway. I wouldn't waste money on a car that is only worth $1000 - I'd be more worried about what kind of shape it's in mechanically and if it's even safe to drive.

[tom_9109]

Simply having an estimate done will not cause anything to show up on these. If insurance is involved then yes it is reported however a simple estimate doesn't cause this. I write estimates on cars all the time and unless there is an insurance company involved and they report the damage there won't be anything on those checks. For example if you take your car in for an estimate to install a new aftermarket bumper and sideskirts why would it show as damage. Same thing goes if you just take it in and have it fixed out of pocket, nothing will show.

[dr_jared88]

Yea I made the mistake of using carfax once. I bought a vehicle that I knew needed work but did not know was a total loss until I went to try and register it. On top of that their "Salvage Guarantee" is a pain in the ass to try and get them to back up. I fought many months with them to buy the car back.

[Carlton]

Originally posted by dr_jared88
Yea I made the mistake of using carfax once. I bought a vehicle that I knew needed work but did not know was a total loss until I went to try and register it. On top of that their "Salvage Guarantee" is a pain in the ass to try and get them to back up. I fought many months with them to buy the car back.

Did they buy it back?

[dr_jared88]

They ended up giving me 80% of the purchase price and let me keep the car which I parted out. Worked out in the end but was a huge headache. They have so many hoops you have to jump through and try to stop you at each one. I had to explain for a week that we don't have a "Salvage" title here. It is the equivalent of a "Total Loss".

[koopkoop2]

Originally posted by richardchan2002
I bought a carproof for my S2000 and it turned stuff up that wasn't available on carfax.

It was a clean car, but there was a windshield claimed through ICBC that showed up on the carproof and not the car fax. There was also more registration history on the carproof report.

Just a disclaimer though - there's no report that will tell you everything. If the person got into an accident and paid out of pocket at a discount body shop, you won't see that on any report.

Is the key word being "DISCOUNT" body shop? Earlier in this thread, it was stated that even obtaining an estimate will trigger a history report. So, you're saying some places won't even bother filing these reports? If so, this leads me to another question, are shops/insurance companies etc. legally bound to file vehicle history reports? If they aren't, then what incentive do they have to maintain this database for CarProof/CarFax?

[tom_9109]

The insurance companies are bound to disclose claims history I believe. I know all total losses are reported to the government and then available to carfax etc. Unless there is a claim put in don't expect the damage to show up on any report.

[CausalInfluence]

yes they are legally bound to report. However if you blow your motor and you go to a backyard mechanic and he fixes it... who/what would be reported??

Same goes with body work... settle outside of insurance... uncle bob does the bodywork/frame damage... orders the parts on the low and then theres no history when It might have needed a salvage title.

[tom_9109]

Even if you go to a top notch body shop and pay top dollar to fix 10,000 damage, its not showing up unless insurance is involved.

[tom_9109]

Even if you go to a top notch body shop and pay top dollar to fix 10,000 damage, its not showing up unless insurance is involved.

[Preslow]

very very informative thread.