Public Service Announcement related to CarFax

[BGBF18]

Hi folks,

While in the process of listing my 2011 M3 for sale, I provided the CarFax report that I had from when I purchased the vehicle in 2023. It was clean, with no accidents or damage noted. Given that I'd only driven the car 4k damage-free miles, I didn't pull a new CarFax.

Well, to my surprise, when a buyer pulled a new report, it showed a report for "minor damage" in May of 2024.

So now I look like the a**hole seller trying to slide something by. After racking my brain for a week, I checked my emails from May 2024 and found a shop estimate to repair the license plate holes in my bumper cover.

The date of estimate matches the CarFax report date. I called the shop and they were a bit baffled as well, but opined that their estimating software must have some backend processing that sent something to CarFax.

So, FYI, just getting an estimate on something simple, could potentially trash your clean CarFax.

Maybe I'm dumb and everyone knows this, but I SAF did not. Now I'm fighting them to get it removed.

[SilverSlug]

Good info here.

Takeaway message… Always cover up your VIN and license plate when getting an estimate.

FYI, VIN is listed on underside of hood, door jam, etc too.

[BGBF18]

Originally Posted by SilverSlug

Good info here.

Takeaway message… Always cover up your VIN when getting an estimate.

FYI, VIN is listed on underside of hood, door jam, etc too.

That’s good gouge, thank you. I will be much more cautious in the future.

[OmairK]

I thought it would only be dinged if your insurance company paid out.

[BGBF18]

Originally Posted by OmairK

I thought it would only be dinged if your insurance company paid out.

Me as well. Guess I was wrong.

I didn’t even do the repair - they wanted $2800 to paint and install a new bumper cover.

…but hey, at least it got reported to CarFax. Lol.

[Ervin87]

Very unfortunate. Same happened to me, even after I asked the shop if their system reports to CARFAX, and they said no. I came in to see if they could remove a scuff on the rear bumper, and the “estimate” ended up showing on the report, as minor damage.

I sent everything to CARFAX, including a picture and they said the report was accurate and they wouldn’t remove it.

[BGBF18]

Originally Posted by Ervin87

Very unfortunate. Same happened to me, even after I asked the shop if their system reports to CARFAX, and they said no. I came in to see if they could remove a scuff on the rear bumper, and the “estimate” ended up showing on the report, as minor damage.

I sent everything to CARFAX, including a picture and they said the report was accurate and they wouldn’t remove it.

Wow, that's terrible. I just sent them everything yesterday - with pics of the license plate holes in the bumper that she shop took. We'll see what they say, but I'm not holding my breath.

[M3SQRD]

Yeah, Carfax can be very slow with updating information on a car and it even misses repair damage from a reported crash. Also, not all body shops provide crash data to Carfax and, for crash damage repairs paid for out-of-pocket by the owner, those cases are rarely reported to Carfax. I personally would always do a PPI with a service shop and a body shop when buying a used car. I view the added cost as being well worth it even if it just makes you sleep better at night.

[BGBF18]

Originally Posted by Ervin87

Very unfortunate. Same happened to me, even after I asked the shop if their system reports to CARFAX, and they said no. I came in to see if they could remove a scuff on the rear bumper, and the “estimate” ended up showing on the report, as minor damage.

I sent everything to CARFAX, including a picture and they said the report was accurate and they wouldn’t remove it.

I wonder if anyone’s ever tried sueing them for “diminshed value”, over this. They seem a bit cavalier and perhaps, need their chain, jerked.

[Donut Lord]

I would assume this is an outlier situation. Buyers would have problems more with un-reported damage, service, accidents than miss-reported ones.

And honestly, I might be the minority, but I see drilled license plate holes as "minor damage" so based on the description it fits.

[BGBF18]

Originally Posted by Donut Lord

I would assume this is an outlier situation. Buyers would have problems more with un-reported damage, service, accidents than miss-reported ones.

And honestly, I might be the minority, but I see drilled license plate holes as "minor damage" so based on the description it fits.

I have no idea if this is an outlier or not, just that it happened and it surprised me. Hence the PSA.

I would be less annoyed with the report, if it were more complete. Instead, it just says "minor damage" with zero explanation, which is helpful, to no one.

I also love that CarFax "caught" my license plate hole repair estimate, but didn't catch that a previous owner had the entire driver's side door and fender painted. Lol.

I'll never shop without a paint meter again.

[Donut Lord]

Originally Posted by BGBF18

I have no idea if this is an outlier or not, just that it happened and it surprised me. Hence the PSA.

I would be less annoyed with the report, if it were more complete. Instead, it just says "minor damage" with zero explanation, which is helpful, to no one.

I also love that CarFax "caught" my license plate hole repair estimate, but didn't catch that a previous owner had the entire driver's side door and fender painted. Lol.

I'll never shop without a paint meter again.

Not insulting your understanding of CarFax, but if you don't know it doesn't catch or miss out on anything. A dealer/shops system is tied to some reporting system that CarFax, Autocheck, etc. pay to access so they create these reports from. They are basically database companies. They pay to access and through fancy marketing create PDFs that majority of the auto industry follow like its law.

So in your example, it is likely that a previous owner painted the side door/fender themselves or at a shop that doesn't report.

Report-er shops after that don't go backwards to update oh this car clearly had engine repair or something ya know what I mean?

[BGBF18]

Originally Posted by Donut Lord

Not insulting your understanding of CarFax, but if you don't know it doesn't catch or miss out on anything. A dealer/shops system is tied to some reporting system that CarFax, Autocheck, etc. pay to access so they create these reports from. They are basically database companies. They pay to access and through fancy marketing create PDFs that majority of the auto industry follow like its law.

So in your example, it is likely that a previous owner painted the side door/fender themselves or at a shop that doesn't report.

Report-er shops after that don't go backwards to update oh this car clearly had engine repair or something ya know what I mean?

Yes, I’m aware of how it works. I was being facetious.

It’s fine and a good lesson learned for the future, not to trust CarFax.

[BGBF18]

Good news. After submitting the shop's estimate and photos, CarFax removed the damage report.

[a5m]

Originally Posted by BGBF18

Good news. After submitting the shop's estimate and photos, CarFax removed the damage report.

Wow, good stuff! Good news for you and the buyer, and for anyone who finds themselves in this situation.

[tbuck]

As they should. It's one thing to report work "actually" done, (though without a disclosure is still sketchy AF) but work never authorized or completed is just a frigging joke. Good deal and thanks for the PSA.

[slow_poke]

Good to know as a buyer and a seller!

[Herofmine]

Dude, I had an even worse situation with my M3 back in 2017. I bought the car from an auction with a clean title and actual mileage, with no issues reported on Carfax. Somehow, the battery died on the car, and they were too lazy to use a booster to read the mileage. Long story short, they reported it to Carfax as “Not Actual Mileage,” even though the mileage was correct on the title and everywhere else. I only discovered this when I tried to sell the car after two years of ownership. I contacted Carfax and even sent them an apology letter from the auction, but they didn’t care. End up loosing money on sale…

[BGBF18]

Originally Posted by Herofmine

Dude, I had an even worse situation with my M3 back in 2017. I bought the car from an auction with a clean title and actual mileage, with no issues reported on Carfax. Somehow, the battery died on the car, and they were too lazy to use a booster to read the mileage. Long story short, they reported it to Carfax as “Not Actual Mileage,” even though the mileage was correct on the title and everywhere else. I only discovered this when I tried to sell the car after two years of ownership. I contacted Carfax and even sent them an apology letter from the auction, but they didn’t care. End up loosing money on sale…

Wow, I’m very sorry to hear that. What a mess!

[Herofmine]

Originally Posted by BGBF18

Wow, I’m very sorry to hear that. What a mess!

Screw carfax! Their reports are inaccurate most of the time. This is not specifically carfax issue but people who report inaccurately or tools they use, however problem on carfax side is not correcting those issues when we address them, owned wholesale car dealership and dealed with their bs many times.

I always tell people look at the car and condition first! Inspect it properly do not rely on carfax, unfortunately many people solly rely on car reports only.

[spazzyfry123]

Interesting! A month or so ago I had reached out to a body shop to bring a little more life in my ever-so-slightly hazed headlight lenses. This isn't something that even remotely crossed my mind. Ended up not going through with it because the estimate was too high for something no one even notices. Now you have me curious...

[PAM3Guy]

Have had similar issues with Carfax where the Carfax looks clean and then you rerun it years later and damage pops up from prior years that should have been in the initial Carfax. It's really just one data point and can't be fully relied on. Always gotta PPI.