Car fax - NJ and TX re-title allowed which I guess can fool car-fax.

[ab]

I was talking to someone who bought a used  Mercedes three month ago.  Only to find that it has frame issues (likely from an accident which was not disclosed from what I gather).  Despite checking Car-fax from the dealer and the used guarantee from the Benz dealer.  He is going through lots of hassle now to work it out.

Anyhow, what was interesting is that I guess NJ and TX have some sort of retitling of vehicles.  Not sure how it works exactly.  But basically the car is retitled and the link with previous title is broken.  So when you check car-fax it won't show any issues.

That was news to me!  Do you guys know about this type of situation?  Care to elaborate and educate us?

[Porsche Monkey]

It should show as a rebuilders title or maybe a salvage.  This is only if there was an insurance claim on the car to begin with.  Ive seen quite a few cars that have been fixed, sometimes poorly, that show nothing on a carfax.

[Popeye the Sailor]

There is no replacement for having someone qualified look at an automobile.

Carfax only knows what's reported.


I won't say how I was involved, but....I do know one guy who wanted to know why his blue chevy was yeallow underneath-he had bought a former NYC taxi cab.


I also know someone who bought a car that was formerly two cars-one a rear ending, one a front end collision. They cut 'em both in half and sorta just welded the mess up the middle.


Surprise!