Right, never rely on a single source. Carfax misses things. A physical eyes on inspection is a must without throwing dice. I caught a washed title car once by using NCIB -
VINCheck® Lookup | National Insurance Crime Bureau
BUT, that one also missed a 4C that was clearly totaled w/ salvage certificate that sold on Copart back in 2020.
When Copart lists vehicles they 'xxx' the last few digits of the Vin# in the listings and only take a Picture of the complete Vin. It will not appear in search results for some time, and this is debated as to whether or not it gives their buyers ample time to buy and repair vehicles before salvage reports are generated for the corresponding Vin !
Kind of sneaky, huh?
Visual inspections these days are necessary. If that is not possible then a buyback guarantee is....... but I'm not so sure I'd even trust such a thing.
Here's what AI says about unreported damage......
No specific percentage exists for unreported used car damage, but multiple sources indicate that a significant amount of damage is never reported. This unreported damage results from a combination of private repairs, minor accidents, and owners intentionally hiding a vehicle's history.
Factors contributing to unreported damage
Several reasons explain why damage might not appear on a vehicle history report from services like CarFax or AutoCheck:
- Minor accidents and repairs: When the damage from an accident is minor, and the owner pays for repairs out-of-pocket rather than filing an insurance claim, the incident won't be reported to the insurance or vehicle history databases.
- No police report: Many minor accidents, especially low-speed fender benders, do not involve a police report. With no official record, there is no way for the incident to be documented in a vehicle history report.
- Unreported repair shops: Not every repair shop reports to the databases used by vehicle history companies. A significant portion of auto repair shops are independent and do not participate in these reporting networks.
- Flood damage: After major flooding events, many water-damaged vehicles are dried out and re-sold without a salvage title. The damage may not appear for months, or longer, as corrosion sets in.
- Fraudulent sellers: Some dishonest dealers or private sellers will actively conceal a vehicle's accident history to increase its value. Some have even been caught hiding documentation from previous repairs in the glove box.
Statistics on unreported damage
While a precise figure is unavailable, these statistics highlight the scale of the issue:
- CarFax estimates: In 2020, CarFax data estimated that up to 40% of vehicles on the road have sustained some form of damage. This does not mean 40% is unreported, but rather that a large number of vehicles have a damage history that may or may not be recorded.
- Police report statistics: An estimate cited on Quora suggests that as much as 30% of car accidents never get a police report and are therefore not reported to CarFax or AutoCheck.
- Hidden histories: A 2019 study in the UK found that over 50% of used cars have a "red flag" in their history, such as undisclosed damage or outstanding finance.
What this means for used car buyers
Because vehicle history reports don't show the full picture, experts advise buyers to take extra precautions:
- Independent inspection: Always have a trusted, independent mechanic inspect a used car, even if the history report looks clean. They can spot signs of previous damage or poor repairs.
- Look for red flags: Check for clues like mismatched paint, uneven gaps between body panels, and signs of flood damage, such as a musty smell.
- Don't rely solely on reports: View vehicle history reports as one tool in your process, not a definitive record of a car's entire past.
- Good Luck
