fast1

How definitive is a Carfax report? After reading a Carfax report would I know the extent of a car's repair or simply that it has been taken to a shop for repair?

akim47

from what i know, it may not even tell you that a car's been to the shop. i could get in a fender bender, take it to a shop, have it repaired, and it'd never show up...

fast1

I'm not certain but I believe it's reported to Carfax if an Insurance company pays for the repair.

mikejohn

My understanding is if there is a police report with vehicle damage. It could take months after a recent accident to appear.

Leader

A Carfax report may help you track the previous registered owners of the car.
And although the information it presents is probably correct, it's not necessarily complete.
In other words - it's much more interesting than actually useful…and in no way is it definitive.