OK- gonna be buying a new vehicle next week. Is it worth the money to get either of these? Which is better? Thanks!
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Yes, most definitely do the car fax, good info.
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Get a carfax...I believe what I received from the dealer on my previous car was an autocheck (I know it wasn't a carfax) and it definitely had frame damage and body work done from a previous accident that wasn't listed.

The carfax's I've gotten on my other three cars I've purchased have proven to be accurate and helpful.
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if you are buying through a dealership they should pay for it if you want it
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:-)
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Cheap insurance for peace of mind... :-)

Thats all I can say....
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Thanks- went ahead and got the five car version. Indeed, this is useful to pre-screen visits.
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Remember there only as good as the person reporting the information on them...with that being said I would still go with CarFax it's done me good in the past
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remember if it was a previous rental car it may have had work done in house and not reported.
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Take it from a mechanic, if it was a rental car you probably don't want to purchase it unless you have no other choice. People hound rental cars since it isn't thier own, and any sort of maitenence on the vehicle is usually ignored. Try to get a set of records if you can showing oil changes, this is where most cars buyers get into trouble. Its not the stuff you can see like the paintwork or interior that are the suprises, its the blocks of sludge in the engine that noone takes the time to look at that are the biggest issues that I see.

For piece of mind, take a flashlight and look down the filler hole where the oil goes into the engine. It should look bright, just like new metal, with no staining or dark marks in the metal where sludge or old oil has accumulated or been burned in. It's a super simple inspection that can save you alot of heartache and cost, and although it doesn't give you any idea of what the bearings actually look like, it does give a decent idea of the overall engine condition without actually breaking down the engine for inspection. Good luck with the search.
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This is sooo true!!

Car dealerships know how to by pass the systems. Many agencies rely on what insurance companies report regarding damage to a vehicle. If a person does not report the damage to a vehicle, then essentially it goes unreported to companies like Carfax.

We bought a car from the dealership that showed one prior owner, no previous damage, and only had 3000 miles on it. Carfax showed no reported info. Two days later sensors indicated the passenger airbag wasn't connected and right front tire was flat. Neither of the two were accurate readings.

Turns out the previous owner was the fleet manager's mother who crashed the right side of the vehicle. The entire right side had been repaired and done internally by the dealership and not reported. Just my tragic .02 worth.:-)

Good luck with your purchase!
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Lotsa good advice, thanks! I have a friend at Firestone who said that he would give the car the once over to be sure everything looked ok!
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