Washing a title and Carfax?

[S-JC]

If a title is washed so that a salvage does not show up, is the wreck still listed in the Carfax report, or will you have no idea?

 

[99 R/T 10]

I think it does show up, but anytime you buy a car the cost as much as these do, don't rely on just one service. Do your homework and call prior owners if possible.

 

[PETSN8K]

Contact your insurance agent and have him run the VIN through their database. I had an agent explain to me that if a car has ever been declared a total loss by any insurance company it will be listed in a database shared by and only available to insurance companies. Doesn't matter if the title was washed or simply never branded as a salvage by the state, it will still be listed as a total loss in the database. By the way, Carfax does not have access to this database.

 

[Bonkers]

A salvage title can only be issued by an insurance company (or unless someone wants it done at the DMV.) If the car was wrecked and no insurance was involved (like say on a track or by a really, really wealthy person A perfect example HERE ) there would be no reason to notifiy the insurance company, hense no salvage history.

Carfax is a good start and it will list prior salavge, but its not 100%. in fact its more like 60%.

I'm currently doing the best I can to log all damaged cars, and once the IVR is fully fucntional it will be priceless, but the best place to check a car is still here on the boards. The more information you can give us the better off you'll be...