Don't Blindly Trust Carfax

After hurricane Katrina Carfax gained a lot of attention when they saved buyers from purchasing Kat's automotive victims.


That was great press for Carfax, but don't let it trick you into think that Carfax knows everything about every car.

A few years ago I had an accident in my Subaru Outback. A police report and an insurance claim were filed and I had it repaired at a reputable shop. The damage was significant enough and the car was not driveable. Not long after that I decided to sell the car, but first I wanted to see what the Carfax report would look like. So I paid the small fee and found a clean report.

There are any number of reasons why Carfax didn't get word of this car's history.

1. Carfax relies on reports from the DMV, insurance providers and repair shops. If the customer paid cash to fix the damage from the accident, it will not show on the Carfax report.
2. Carfax only shows accidents over 25% of the value of the car at the time of accident.
3. Sometimes Carfax doesn't specify a salvage title. A salvage title is issued for a car if a car was totaled in an accident with the damage being more than 75% of the value of the vehicle.
4. Carfax will not show you if the odometer has been rolled back. While it does show the mileage of the car at title transfers the odometer can be rolled back in between, and you will never know.
5. Frame damage on a vehicle will only show on a car fax report if it has been reported.

Carfax knows it's limitations and includes a disclaimer stating that it's not responsible for omissions, reliability, or accuracy on the report. They only can report what is given to them.

Understand that Carfax is still a worthy tool. Whenever you are buying a used car you should check the Carfax report. If you are buying from a dealer, get them to pay for and furnish the report (it's in there best interest). A clean Carfax report still means that you should have an independent inspection. However, a bad Carfax report is a strong message to steer away from this vehicle.

Do you really need to keep car maintenance receipts?

I'm trying to declutter my life. Everywhere I look there is so much paper and I can't stand it--even my car. At least school is out for the summer and my three kids won't be leaving all their school work littered in my car. My glove box is another source of paper. Glove boxes used to be big gaping holes where you could store owner's manuals, registration and insurance, a flashlight, a first-aid kit and your service records. But with air bags they've been reduced to almost nothing.

So what about maintenance records? Do we really need to keep these old fashioned pieces of paper? Sadly, the answer is yes.

There are two reasons that you need to keep maintenance records: 1) they prove that you've followed the manufacturers recommended schedule and therefore kept your warranty valid, 2) if you sell the car they'll show that you've taken care of the vehicle.

There is shareware software to track your records on your home computer, but you’ll still need to keep the paper receipts.

Since nearly everything in our life is automated by technology you might think that there is a database somewhere of your car's maintenance. There isn't.

Most dealers are connected to a nationwide computer network that is supposed to make your records accessible to any dealer, but it’s not uncommon for data to be lost or entered incorrectly.

Systems like, Carfax, don't have all the facts either.

And then there are still a few people who like to work on their own cars.

So now that I'm going to stop fighting the necessity of keeping receipts, just how do you do it?

First set-up a place to keep your receipts. Ideally you'll want to keep them in the car, but again there is almost no such thing as a glove box. It doesn't really matter how you keep your records. If you’re the organized type then you can sort your receipts by year or type of maintenance. You could even just stuff them all into one envelope. Two things that are important no matter what storage method you choose:

1. Use a waterproof container.
2. Put the make, model, vehicle identification number (VIN) and your insurance information on the front of whatever container you choose.

If you haven't been good about keeping records and you use either your local dealer or one of the chain quick stop shops you can ask them to print your records.

If you are the DIY type, it's still important to keep your receipts for part and supplies. Use a notebook to record your vehicle's vitals such as date, miles, amount of oil, etc.

Get Your Car Ready for Summer

I’ll never forget the fine summer day when I was 17. I drove off in my 1967 Ford Mustang and thought the car felt a little wobbly. I pulled over took a walk around the car and then remembered that my dad had just changed the tires. He was an auto mechanic, but you know how that goes. I might have had a cool car, but there was always some customer’s car that required his attention. The first thing that popped into my mind was lug nuts. Sure enough, he put the wheels on, but forgot to tighten the lug nuts on one wheel. So there I was alongside the road in my little summer dress with a tire iron in my hand. Fortunately I was kid that had grown up with cars and tools.

Today, I loathe the idea of being stranded by my car. Save yourself from sitting on the hot summer pavement by preparing your vehicle for the summer.

Tires: Don’t trust your eyes to guess if your tires are okay.

Get out the tire-pressure gauge and check that your tires are inflated to the recommended level. You’ll find this number inside the driver’s side door. Underinflated tires run the risk of a blowout, and overinflated ones make hydroplaning more likely in rainy weather. There's a financial payoff, too: Properly inflated tires increase your vehicle's fuel efficiency by up to 3%.
It’s easy to use a tire pressure gauge, this video shows you how:


Also, check the tread while you're down there. Stick a penny in the tread gaps with Lincoln's head facing down -- if the head is fully visible, you need new tires.

Look at your spare as well. If you need to change a tire on the road the last thing you want is a bad spare.

Even if your tires are properly inflated and your tread is fine, your tires may not be. Colorado’s low humidity can also do a number on your tires. Tires can dry out and deteriorate.

Fluids: It’s not so hard to remember fluids in the summer, just think hot and thirsty. Always be sure your car is on level ground to check any fluids. For most fluids you’ll want the car to be turned off, but warm.

First check your automatic transmission fluid, this is the only fluid that you’ll check with the engine running.

Oil--Check the oil after running the car for a few minutes. Be sure the car is on level ground. It should be at a sufficient level and appear clean on the stick. Manufacturers and technicians have been advising change the oil every 3,000 miles, but you can safely save yourself money and stretch it to 5,000 miles.

Be sure to check the required oil weight. Most new cars/trucks are designed to run on 5w30 oil. Old schoolers are used to putting in 10w30 or 10w40, but this can be harmful to newer cars. Doing so can destroy valve timing devices and void your warranty. SO: use the right weight oil (it is stamped on your oil filler cap).

Don’t forget your antifreeze overflow tank, brake fluid, and power steering fluid, battery water"unless it's maintenance free. Read your owner’s manual for guidance.

Brakes: You should have the brakes checked at least once a year, even if they seem fine. This is especially true in Colorado if you’ve been winter driving in the mountains and plan to head up to mountains frequently this summer. Obviously a brake inspection is a safety matter, but it could also save you from surprise expenses.

Windshield wipers: These also get a constant workout in Colorado weather. Replace yours with the season change and you’ll see better when those sudden afternoon downpours explode from the sky.

What’s in your trunk? Clean out your trunk and you’ll save fuel. But do be sure to carry an emergency kit.

Have a fun summer! I hope I don't see you on the side of the road.