| No doubt about it, if you're purchasing a used car you | | | | the entire automobile rusts to a hulk one night. If your |
| need to learn how to understand a CarFax (CF) | | | | automobile wears out all four tires in two months you |
| Report. A CarFax report is available on many of the | | | | might then determine the car had been totaled in a |
| cars in a used car dealer's lot. What makes CF work | | | | terrible auto accident and was repaired to look original. |
| is the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) on every | | | | The indicated number of owners, and class of owners, |
| automobile made since 1981 and this 17 character | | | | can save you from buying a heavily used corporate |
| number is stamped on many components of a car's | | | | municipal vehicle that was purchased, for a few dollars, |
| body. | | | | and repaired to look like it was driven by a little old lady. |
| Run your own CF if the used automobile you are | | | | Odometer warnings indicate when the odometer |
| considering in doesn't have one.. Buying a used | | | | reading has been tampered with. A Geek, with a PC, |
| automobile without viewing the CF is just plain wacky. | | | | can easily roll back the electronic odometer setting. |
| It costs a few dollars and can save you a small | | | | All sorts of crazy legal matters can impact the car title. |
| fortune in return. | | | | CF catches all kinds of scams, run by crooks, that can |
| When a car is involved in a collision that requires body | | | | impact the car title. There are junk, salvage, rebuilt, fire, |
| work the body shop reports the damage to CF you, | | | | hail, flood, lemon, mechanical limit types of titles and |
| the owner, have no say in the matter. When an | | | | CarFax alerts you to anything but a regular title. |
| automobile flunks the state emission inspection, that | | | | If you are selling your car, and there are no problems, |
| incident is reported to CarFax. When an automobile is | | | | you should pay for the CarFax and make copies and |
| destroyed by a flood, hurricane, or other types of | | | | hand to folks who come by to look at the car. CF will |
| water damage that fact is reported to CarFax. | | | | buyback the car if the buyer finds something that |
| You would not know that some used cars have been | | | | CarFax missed - that warranty is on every car that |
| reconstructed, by criminals, after being destroyed by | | | | passes all their checks. |
| water damage. Well, until about six months later when | | | | |