Pros and Cons of Carfax
Buying a used car can be an exciting and worrisome event. Luckily, Carfax has relieved the anxiety of thousands of used car purchasers across the nation. Just by saying, “Show me the Carfax?” and for only $29.95, customers have unlimited easy access to used vehicle reports. These reports show the used car’s both minor and major accident history, which is one of the pros of Carfax. This information can further be used to determine if the car was totaled and rebuild, which part(s) of the vehicle is original, refurbished, or replace due to an accident, and the overall trauma the vehicle(Carfax, 2012).
The second pro of Carfax is their claim to identify fraudulent odometer readings. There have been cases where sellers would drastically lower the odometer readings to attract more customers costing consumers thousands. Carfax will ensure every vehicle has a rollback check, to help customers identify which used car has fraudulent odometer readings.Third pro is the ability for users of Carfax to research any car that was recalled or had other claimed mechanical problems. This feature can save many lives with just a little research(Carfax, 2012).
Fourth pro of Carfax is the ownership history. This feature gives Carfax users the opportunity to see how many prior owners the vehicle has, high mileage estimations, and rental and fleet car information, which can diminish the value of the vehicle..The fifth pro of Carfax is the estimated average cost to build and maintain certain used vehicles. Having this information beforehand can give consumers an overall idea of how much they will have to put into the vehicle. Carfax overall has great features that can benefit anyone who is considering buying a used vehicle(Carfax, 2012).
However, Carfax has its cons. According to websites likeconsumer reportsandconsumers affairs, customers have complained that Carfax’s reports were at times inaccurate. Costing some customers thousands rather than saving thousands. The inaccurate information also places a burden on sellers of used vehicles. If there is wrong information about their vehicle, it can put a bad reputation to the seller his vehicle. The best way to avoid inaccurate vehicle information is to periodically check Carfax’s site to confirm the accuracy of the information(Carfax, is it worth it?, 2007).
Although, Carfax has its cons, the pros outweigh it. Carfax is an effective way for consumers to know what they are purchasing, save money, avoid fraudulent odometer, and ensure the validity of the title of the vehicle.
