Buyer Beware: 2007 Toyota Prius VIN: JTDKB20UX77570607

You can enter a VIN and check it without owning it, though you do have to register on the site.

 

This is the reason why an independent mechanical inspection is also necessary. The car report might not be telling all the details you need. Or, it might be outdated.

 

IMI is must-do for any used car unless you are a pro yourself. I've heard too many stories about people that have had cars go through major accidents, cops and insurance involved, etc, but to their amazement when they went to get CarFax or similar, not a mention of ANYTHING.

Just you saying you require your own guy to check it out will save you much grief. I like to propose taking it to a neutral mechanic (like nearest shop that deals with that brand and if they find anything semi-major wrong seller pays, and if they don't buyer pays mechanic's fee.

 

I learned more about carfax than I ever wanted to know the time I was looking at a red 2010 down in Indianapolis, and the "clean carfax!!!1!" was a big selling point.

I did have that car driven to a nearby Toyota dealer for inspection, and the mechanic took me into the service bay under the lift and pointed out all of the evidence of major body repair and repainting. So I elected not to buy the car. But while I was there, I asked the service manager "so, this visit should show up on carfax, right, might help the next person looking?" And I was told "yup, it will definitely get reported."

And it did. Out of curiosity, I pulled up the same car in carfax a week or two later, and it had a new entry for the day it was in for my inspection.

The new carfax entry said "maintenance inspection completed."

 

Just to add...that carfax is complete bullshit,

my brother currently owns a Honda that had a carfax when he purchased it, said it was clean,
and he then was notified about a year or two down the road that his carfax had a accident report.
The date noted was before he purchased.
So he went to the dealer that sold it to him on the next service, and told them, and they weaseled around.
About a week or month later he found out that the accident report was again non-existent on the carfax.

carfax warranty is only if car title was found out to be rebuilt/salvage I believe.
But either way, there is some pocket filling or fraud going on with it.

I would recommend to no one to rely on a carfax. not even 1% on deciding factor on the purchase of a car.
end of story.