Whats the difference between a vin # check and a Carfax Report?

Question

Are they the same thing?

Answer 1

Carfax will only tell you what has been reported to various agencies, so do NOT put all your faith into that and no an actual inspection.

If I fixed up salvages for a living, I guarantee you that Carfax would not know as I don't even know how to report those things to get them on a Carfax.

Answer 2

A VIN # check would only verify that that VIN is for a particular car.  The VIN code can tell what day/month/year the car was built.  What model, etc.

What a Carfax does is show you the complete history of the car with a particular VIN #.   Where it was purchased, or if it was a lease car.  How many times it was registered and where it was registered.  If it ever had an accident reported on it.  If it failed emissions checks anytiime in it's life, etc.

Helpful to know where it was most of it's life.  If it was in the Northwest or Northeast I'd suspect more rust and corrosion from road salts.  Cars from Arizona, Florida, Texas and definitely California are more desireable for this reason.

It will also indicate if it has ever had a salvage title on it.   Where a dealer, auto shop, or individual bought it at auction wrecked and fixed it up.    Also flood damage will show up on some reports or the fact that it was even registered in an area during the time there were a lot of flooded cars like New Orleans or Fort Worth TX a few years back.

It pays to have a CarFax pulled on any used car you might buy.  Reputable dealers use a Clean Car Fax as a selling point and willl provide a copy of a clean report in most cases if they're honest dealers.

CarMax won't even put a car on their lot that shows any prior damage regardless of a clean Carfax or not.

Good luck

RoyG

KC

Answer 3

VIN checks ownership history of a car. Carfax checks accidents, recalls, etc of the cars history