TraderAlex

Hey everyone

Our daughter is getting her license in Feb. She is not going to get an Audi as her first car. Considering new Civic's, Fiesta's, and Mazda 3's for her. But we thought while we were at it that we might look at very low mileage used models, if we can get a higher trim version for her for the same budget. But here's my question: I found a 2010 Civic EX Coupe over at Autotrader with NAV, mileage and price seemed almost too good to be true.
The owner posted a copy of the vehicle's NJ Title in the photo set, which indicated clean and "standard". I ordered up the Carfax report, and whoooa..The vehicle started its life in Ketchikan, Alaska (no kidding, and showed salvage/title-severe damage all the way from AK back to New York state in three three ports. what I found astonishing, is that the car
was then transferred and regisgtered from New York State to NJ State-and that's where the trail for the salvage title "suddenly" disappears. Can anyone comment, how does that happen? If I understand the laws, the salvage
title should stuck on the NJ paperwork, as well. But it's not. I am glad for Carfax, and obviously gonna stay miles away from this "find". But I am interested in knowing more about what shananigan took place that cleaned up the history of this vehicle, once it got in to NJ.
Thanks/Alex

bigdadi

The owner post title maybe "photoshopped"
Trust Carfax more.

bigdadi

The owner post title maybe "photoshopped"
Trust Carfax more.
Should alert Autotrader re possible fault.

bigdadi

The owner post title maybe "photoshopped"
Trust Carfax more.
Should alert Autotrader re possible fault, or more victims were hooked.

jschick

this is about all I trust Carfax for. if it says the car is "dirty" it is! if it says the car is Clean well then it's really a 50/50 shot if it is really clean since not everything is reported, but if it is reported then it does show up.
Their are several states that can "clean" a title. not all states have salvage titles and transferring them in and out of certain states come back as a good title.
generally when someone brags about a great carfax on a car they are selling I just laugh. I bought a Toyota Van, the dealer bragged so much on the great carfax, then I showed him sure great van the past owner unloaded it right at the time it needed a T-belt so it needs $1000 in work when I take it home, and it had been repainted. the salesman looked at me like I was crazy. then I showed him the paint texture on the front bumper wasn't right, and the rear qtr panel had been repainted, and a stripe had been added to cover some minor damage on the other side.
Needless to say I bought this van for $4000 less then they were asking for it! As long as you are aware of the car and what you are paying for carFax can be a great help, but no guarantee! still best to look the car over in all 4 corners, always remove the trunk carpet, inspect all seems and joints, front strut towers and frame rails. and most important paint textures, in both daylight and indoor lighting!

4Driver4

That's ridiculous. They have been wrong in both directions. Verify anything you get from Carfax, either good or bad.

ChampionMotorHouse

HELLO EVERYONE. I'M A DEALER, AND I BUY SALVAGE CARS ALL THE TIME. AT FIRST JUST SO YOU KNOW CARFAX IS GARBAGE. IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT VEHICLE GO TO AUTOCHECK, A LOT MORE OF INFO. ALL THE STATES CAN CLEAN A TITLE, EVEN NJ. AS FAR WHAT YOU WILL SEE ON THE TITLE WITH SALVAGE HISTORY IS A SMALL "S" WHERE SAYS PREFIX. IF THIS VEHICLE WAS SALVAGE IN NY, THEN IT STILL WILL SHOW "S" BUT INSPECTION WILL HAVE TO BE DONE IN NY, COSE OF MV-907A CERTYFICAT, AND THIS CAN BE DONE ONLY IN NY. MAKE SURE CAR IS NOT FLOOD. NOW SOME TRUE ABOUT SALVAGE. COUPLE MONTHS AGO A BOUGHT 05 S4, CLEAN TITLE, CAR NEEDED A LOT OF WORK, NO FRAME DAMAGE BUT. I WOULD CONSIDER IT SALVAGE!!!! AGAIN, I JUST GOT 03 RS6 SALVAGE, BUT THE CAR NEEDS RADIATOR AND A FRONT BUMPER. FRAME IS PERFECT. 3 MNTHS AGO I GOT SALVAGE AUDI A8L 2006. STUPID!! SOMEBODY REPLACED TIMING BELT AND PUT IT ON WRONG BENT A VALVES. AND THEY SALVAGE THIS CAR BECAUSE OF THAT. AND THIS IS CONSIDERED A MECHANICAL!!! I PUT REBUILT HEADS ON IT AND ON THE ROAD!!!!! IF YOU CONSIDER BUYING A CAR, MAYBE BETTER TO LOOK AT SOMETHING AT THE AUCTION WHERE U PAY LESS. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IM IN JERSEY AND I GO THERE A LOT. I WORK A LONG TIME ON PEOPLES TRUST. CARFAX, IS ONLY TO SCARED PEOPLE OF BUYING A USED CAR. NEW CAR DEALERS INVENTED IT AND THEY HAD A REALLY GOOD IDEA. REMEMBER STUPID SCRATCH ON YOUR CAR MADE A SOMEBODY AT THE SHOPING CENTER MIGHT END UP WITH A POLICE REPORT, AND WOW, THIS CAR WAS IN ACCIDENT. HOPE YOU FIND SOMETHING.

monkeytronic

Amusingly, Carfax usually will not show if a car has been in an accident, even a seemingly major accident, if said accident was never reported or even if an accident was claimed but an insurance company never paid a claim on it, as would often be the case where the previous driver of the car was involved in a collision, deemed to be at-fault and the car's insurance policy had no collision coverage.

So, yes, it's totally possible for an unscrupulous car dealer to pass off a complete pile of **** car on an unsuspecting buyer and said buyer would be none the wiser even after wasting coin on a Carfax report.

It should go without saying to either personally inspect the car in question thoroughly prior to buying it or pay an independent mechanic, who naturally would have no vested interest in the car's sale, to inspect the car on one's behalf.