Don't Count on Used Car Reports

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Story Published: Jun 15, 2009 at 5:55 PM PDT

By Heather Reese

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Many used-car buyers rely on vehicle-history reports from companies such as Carfax to see whether a vehicle has been in a wreck. But a Consumer Reports investigation finds those services are far from foolproof.

Consumer Reports located dozens of wrecked vehicles advertised on line, most of which later came up with clean records.

For example, a 2007 Acura MDX that was dramatically damaged came up as having no accident or damage on the Carfax report. None of the other car-history reports Consumer Reports checked revealed the accident either, including AutoCheck. It gave the vehicle a score of 89 out of 100.

Consumer Reports says one reason the services miss accidents is that they depend on the accident being reported to an insurance company. That doesn't always happen.

Despite those findings, Consumer Reports says checking car-history reports is still worth it for what they can tell you. And check several because one can miss what another picks up.

In addition to Carfax and AutoCheck, consult the free or inexpensive services—VinCheck, at nicb.org, and the National Motor Vehicle Title Information Systems, at nmvtis.gov.

But no matter what the reports say, Consumer Reports says nothing replaces having a used car inspected by an independent mechanic and checking it out thoroughly yourself.

In light of Consumer Reports' investigation, Carfax says it will begin looking at on line advertisements for wrecked vehicles to see whether it is possible to include that information in its reports.

For more on how to protect yourself when you buy a used car, go to www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/car-buying-advice/guide-to-used-car-buying/narrow-your-choices/pros-and-cons-of-buying-used/index.htm.

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