REV-01

iTrader: (13)

i work cars 360 days a year....any flaw show up to me faster than any mods done to it. carfax shows only what it is "reported" you said you just pick this up. if it is from a dealer usually they will have some mobile guys that will touch it up so it is more presentable for those who don't know. to keep the cost down often they will shortcut it and paint it without taking anything off.

i bought my ls430 from a dealer in cali as well. they did the samething touch up the 2 round marks on bumper from other cars bump into it. i had to redo it strip all the parts off on the bumper. take it out and had it respray the whole thing because the clear is starting to peel about the sensor area because they short cut it.

AlexusAnja

It may not have been in an accident. Used car dealers will usually just respray the bumper because it's a quick easy way to cover up all the minor scratches, but splatter, etc. that just happen over time on the bumper. Just think, if you did a quick walk around and bumper was all marked up, you'd think "dag, that looks ugly" but if you just do a cheap, quick paint job, it makes the car look much better at quick glance.

The dealer I went to repaints all their inventory and on some it shows, on some it doesn't... so it's just a "practice" by dealers more than something that's indicative of definitely an accident.

Jabberwock

Dealers routinely spray bumpers - sometimes in the body shop where it si well done and sometimes out in the lot where it is done by a quickly paint fix guy. The quicky version definitely won't last as long or look as good as the body shop repaint.

Carfax only shows major reported accidents. For example my step daughter's car has been in several minor fender benders. It has had every body panel except the roof repaired and repainted at some point and still has a clean car fax!

AlexusAnja

You sure the roof is original? ha ha.

There's loopholes to any reporting system. You're only as good as the data reporting entities. Like Jabber's case, if car is in minor fender benders, and no police report is done and it's all settled out of insurance let's say... painted by the local 1-day painter and not reported, you would not know.

Of course, once you get the car, you'll see the bad paint jobs and off colors.... but CarFax will show clean.

caddyowner

Wow, this thread didn't turn out as planned.

Jabberwock

Daughter's car accidents were all claimed on her insurance and fixed in regular pro-body shop. In some cases there may have been police reports but not totally sure. And still a clean car fax : )

MrXerox

I have little faith in Carfax. A buddy of mine lost control of his 08 vette and spun out going 60+ mph went over a curb and into a field of very rough terrain. Had an insurance claim of over 9k mainly for suspension and undercarrage damage alone. Carfax was clean as a whislte when he sold it 9 months later

teamplayer

iTrader: (2)

Keep in mind carfax stuff will only show up if it was repaired through your insurance company. If it was a cheap repair where the previous owner paid out of the pocket, it won't show up on carfax.

RA40

iTrader: (6)

Main aspect is that the car has all the original panel numbers. Bumper stuff happens so it is usually minimal. Shopping cart, that depth perception incapable driver who is parallel parking, debris on freeway...etc.

The prior owner could have ran over something on the highway that dislodged the lower fog light. Had it painted but the shop didn't install it right or perhaps during the incident a mounting tab broke.

When you find radiator support welds, angle grinder marks and or dealer inventory parts stickers on various parts under the car you start thinking WTF.