I've used car fax and have gotten mixed results.
#1.) My 83 Westy only has one report and it is wrong, the vehicle was
never presented for inspection in that city. It hasn't got the original
title record or my title transfer of 7 years ago or any State Inspection
results. Purely a worthless report.
#2.) 82 Westy I restored, two owner. It had all of the inspections, both
title changes, right mileage.
#3.) 81 Westy I restored. nothing, nothing, nothing. The Vehicle does not
exist!
#4.) 86 Olds Custom Cruiser Station Wagon, my old keeper for boat and
travel trailer pulling, it has only the original title assignment and
nothing else that could verify mileage or anything else.
#5.) 92 Ford Crown Vic, mine, it has everything right up to snuff,
inspections, mileage, two title changes etc.
I'm not defending or condemning Car-fax but I think it has a lot to do
with the level of reporting that the county of registration cooperates
with. Some counties just don't report anything. Others report everything
and that is where the trail splits.
Most of the Vanagons I buy are in the ten to twenty cents per pound range
so Car Fax isn't that important unless I sell a particularly nice Westy.
That is when it becomes of value.

Stan Wilder
83 Westfalia Air Cooled

On Tue, 23 Apr 2002 09:16:39 EDT Rico Sapolich <JKrevnov@AOL.COM> writes:
> In a message dated 4/23/02 7:36:19 AM, Oxroad@AOL.COM writes:
>
> << Now the history they offer is kind of limited. It tells if the
> car ever
> had a
> salvage title, or was a fleet vehicle, or was sold at auction. And
> then it
> tells the mileage at different stages when records come up for a
> transfer of
> title or state inspection and the like. >>
>
> I've used Carfax and I have mixed feelings about its value.  I
> think, while
> Carfax can be used to disqualify a car, it should never be depended
> upon to
> qualify one.  For example, I often see wrecked cars offered in one
> voluminous
> car advertising rag as having a "good title", in bold letters no
> less.  I
> would take this to mean that the totaled car was never titled as
> salvage.
> Such a car can be repaired, sold and titled with no evidence of its
> salvage
> status.  As always, a slimeball will ooze through any crack left
> open.
>
> Rich
>

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