Carfax is a TOOL not a CRYSTAL BALL. They can tell you ONLY what has been told to them---nothing more. They are not genies or gods for crying-out-loud. If you are not willing to do your homework on a car or a house or any other investment then do not cry foul afterward if something pops up at a later date.

Carfax is the STARTING POINT not the END POINT. It will tell you owners (not always accurate because dealers sometimes get counted, but a start), states which the car has been registered in, accidents if reported, miles at registrations, etc---a starting point. If you find something wrong, then you go to another car. If the Carfax is "clean", then you keep digging---you do not stop and think all is clear because ONE computer search says they found nothing.

There will NEVER be a full proof report on ANY car---EVER. I say this because whatever system is put into place, someone will find a way to beat it, so do your homework with a Carfax and other tools FIRST---THEN, check the car out PHYSICALLY. If you do not know what to look for then HIRE someone who does, but do not blame Carfax for the fact that you relied ONLY on a computer search, and that was it.

There are people out there that can find problems; body shops are a great place to go. They know the "tricks of the trade" to hide body damage. There is nothing wrong in trying to hide the damage; that is their job. If your car was wrecked, you would want the best job possible which would include no signs of damage---RIGHT?. But there is always "signs" if you know what to look for. And again---IF you do not, find someone who does---THAT SIMPLE! Carfax has its place, but what has happened is people get lazy and think they can find out EVERYTHING in one place---SORRY, but NOT SO.

The fact that smokinsrt6 is telling people to jump on the class action blows my mind. I buy and sell cars and Carfax NEVER said that they know it ALL---NEVER. They give a Buy-back Guarantee if they falsely report, but not if something was not reported to them. There is a BIG difference from lying and not knowing---and they do not know EVERYTHING---who does? REALLY, who knows everything---not you, not me, and not Carfax. Carfax tells you what they know---they never claimed it was EVERYTHING---it's just what they know. It is just one piece of the puzzle---the "starting" piece.

You can "TRUST" the information they sell you is TRUE; however, you CAN NOT believe that the information is ALL there is to know---big difference. This is where most people make their mistake. I will say again---Carfax does not claim that they know everything about the car!

In FIVE minutes or less I can tell you if a cars has been hit---without a lift, just looking at the body on the ground. I need the keys, so I can open the doors, the hood, the trunk, and gas cap door. If you do not have these skills, find someone who does, but DO NOT SUE because you were too lazy to do your homework and take the time to find someone to help you VERIFY a piece of paper. REMEMBER, Carfax NEVER looked at the car, so how can they know everything about the car? Simple---They can not!

EDIT: Wow, got on my soapbox---didn't I? BOTTOM LINE---get more than one source of information when buying ANYTHING major. Relying on just one source is putting all your eggs in one basket---not good because there is too much room for error. Also, never blame the tool if you do not know how to use it!