How to Find a Free Carfax Report
Purchasing a used car can save a lot of money but it can also become a financial headache if the buyer is unaware of issues such as a faulty title, a history of accidents, emissions violations, etc. An effective way to protect against buying a lemon is to obtain a Carfax history report prior to purchasing a used vehicle. Carfax obtains information from the databases of agencies in the United States and Canada including motor vehicle, insurance, and consumer protection agencies. Carfax charges a fee for each report but there are ways to obtain a Carfax report for free.
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Instructions
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Run a search for a used car through www.carfax.com. Provide your desired vehicle make, model, year, and location. From the list of provided vehicles, click the link to the free Carfax report.
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Run a search for a used car on Autotrader.com or Cars.com. Provide the make, model, price, and your zip code along with the desired distance in miles from that zip code. A list of available vehicles will pop up including a link to a free Carfax report. Click the link to the Carfax report to obtain the vehicle's history.
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Run a search for a used vehicle on an automobile dealership's website. Click the link to the free Carfax report. If a report is not available on a particular vehicle of interest, ask the dealer to purchase a Carfax report for that vehicle.
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Ask a private seller to provide a copy of a Carfax report for the vehicle that they are selling.
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Tips & Warnings
Carfax.com recommends that in addition to obtaining a vehicle history report through Carfax, the vehicle should be test driven as well as taken to a mechanic to be checked out prior to purchase.
If a car dealership or a private seller does not and/or is not willing to provide a Carfax report, it would be well worth it to purchase one yourself before buying the vehicle. As of November 2010, the cost of one Carfax report is $34.99 and $44.99 for five reports. Keep in mind, a seller who is not willing to provide a Carfax report could be a sign of something problematic with regards to their vehicle.
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