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Addison Auto Repair & Body Shop Newsletter
Newsletter - October 2009
Does CARFAX Report Accidents Accurately?
Many people believe if a CARFAX report shows no accidents, then the vehicle was not in an accident. Last year we did a study to see if CARFAX was accurate in discovering if a vehicle had been in an accident. The results of last year’s study were interesting. Of the nine cars repaired here, only four showed on the CARFAX report as having been involved in an accident. Of the nine, four had structural or frame repair, and none of those showed up on the reports under “Structural / Frame Damage”.
This year we ran the study again to see if CARFAX accuracy had improved. We randomly chose eight vehicles repaired at our shop, at least a year ago, with a repair cost above $4000.00
The results were almost identical. Of the eight vehicles, three of the reports said “Damage Reported” under the “Accident / Damage” heading. The other five said “No Issues Reported”. Four of the jobs involved at least some frame repair but CARFAX showed “No Issues Reported” under the heading “Structural / Frame Damage”.
|
Vehicle
|
Repair Date
|
Damage $
|
Frame Repair
|
CARFAX Accident
|
CARFAX Frame Damgae
|
| 2003 Honda Civic |
Oct-08
|
$8,152
|
NO
|
NO
|
N/A
|
| 2004 Honda Odyssey |
Sep-08
|
$5,113
|
NO
|
NO
|
N/A
|
| 2007 Chevy Malibu |
Oct-08
|
$11,994
|
NO
|
NO
|
N/A
|
| 2006 Dodge Stratus |
Sep-08
|
$4,853
|
NO
|
YES
|
N/A
|
| 2005 Toyota Prius |
Oct-08
|
$9,827
|
YES
|
YES
|
NO
|
| 2001 Honda Accord |
Oct-08
|
$4,356
|
YES
|
YES
|
NO
|
| 2005 Toyota Camry |
Sep-08
|
$5,716
|
YES
|
NO
|
NO
|
| 2001 Subaru Outback |
Oct-08
|
$4,917
|
YES
|
NO
|
NO
|
CARFAX reports missed reporting accidents 62% of the time and frame damage 100% of the time. If you’re worried your vehicle may end up on a CARFAX report after an accident, according to this investigation, the odds are less than 40%.
If collision repairs have been done correctly it should not diminish the value of a vehicle. A vehicle would be in better condition after new part replacements such as; lights, bumper, paint, glass, suspension, or radiator. Frame repair performed by a skilled technician on a modern frame rack with electronic measuring restores the vehicle’s structural dimensions and integrity to original manufacturer’s specifications.
A CARFAX report may be used as a tool but not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. Shoddy and/or unsafe body repairs are not easily seen by the untrained eye. Included in our pre-purchase inspection is a visual inspection by an experienced damage appraiser and reported to you along with mechanical issues so that you’re better armed when negotiating a price on a pre-owned vehicle.
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Addison Auto Repair & Body Shop
2005 South Holly Street • Denver, CO 80222 • 303-691-9484