CarFax effectiveness

[rideserotta]

How good is CarFax on motorcycles? I'm think of an unlimited 30 day plan with them because I want to check out a bike and a car. The unlimited part is for license plates only. You only get 5 VINs in 30 days. I really don't need unlimited, just a couple but if it won't work with the bikes I may just buy a single for the car I'm looking at.

[zooom]

I have heard hit and miss with Carfax on bikes...

the key is 1st...was the accident reported to an insurance company or just brought into a repair facility or taken home and fixed?

[ZLTFUL]

I wouldn't use it as more than a general idea for bikes. For cars, they are pretty good...I would say that their services reporting is completely dependent on the previous owners using reporting shops though.

[skurvy]

A Carfax report had my moto info on it running the VIN. Long story short, had to drop the bike in an intersection to avoid a collision and police came out to the scene. They got my info and if I remember correctly it came up on the Carfax report as a "non-collision accident".

[ZLTFUL]

A Carfax report had my moto info on it running the VIN. Long story short, had to drop the bike in an intersection to avoid a collision and police came out to the scene. They got my info and if I remember correctly it came up on the Carfax report as a "non-collision accident".

That's just it...the police still reported it and insurance was most likely involved.
The problem with a lot of bike accidents is that instead of being reported, people just take the bike to a repair shop without reporting to avoid insurance premium increases. That's what makes CarFax hit or miss with bikes.

[skurvy]

I didn't call my insurance company to make a claim. If I remember correctly, both brake levers and handlebar were bent, scratches on the mirror and bar end. I thought my exhaust got scraped up but I was lucky it didn't even look touched. Oh yeah and a scratched up clutch cover.

So instead of calling my insurance I fixed it all out of pocket.

[ZLTFUL]

and police came out to the scene. They got my info and if I remember correctly it came up on the Carfax report as a "non-collision accident".

This is the key there. Most instances where it is a solo crash or neither party gets the police and/or insurance involved, the incident won't show up on CarFax and most of the time, simple fixes like that are handled out of pocket. Your instance showed up because there was a police report filed and that was placed on file with the DOT.

[skurvy]

Yeah I agree, it's hit or miss 

[Pedro-bot]

CarFax is a tool, it has it's limitations. I have used it on my last 2 vehicle purchases. Just gives me an extra sense of security.

Read this though, worst case scenario.
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=675793

[Zulu]

Even for Cars, I do not believe in carfax. Seen way too many times where car had been pretty banged up and not show up on carfax.

[NAKID]

Wife got t-boned in an intersection. $13k in damages, police on scene, took a report 2+ months in the shop. Traded it in later, not on carfax!!!!

Also, told the dealer about it when we traded it in. When they pulled the report and it wasn't on it, they said, oh well, guess it didn't happen...