Quote:
Originally Posted by redpoint5
I've been out of the loop... is there a nationwide database now? I get my oil changed at Jiffy Lube and that's recorded by Carfax?
The only experience I have with a stealership is in 2010 when I bought the TSX.
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Your info is a bit out of date.
Yes, there is a nationwide database on cars. CarFax buys data and then sells it. Selling data to CarFax is another revenue stream for Jiffy Lube, car dealers, repair shops, etc. They get registration data from state DMVs. They buy or trade data on collisions with insurance companies to report any claims on the car. (Insurance companies also buy / trade data from CarFax to catch people that under-report their annual vehicle miles)
As I mentioned above - the last 4 vehicles I purchased had full CarFax reports going back the full life of the vehicle. The Acura I bought last year has 4 pages of records. For example I know it got a new water pump at 60,688 miles and brakes at 68,921 miles.
I can see that when Ron Tonkin Acura in Portland bought it at an auto action when it was 3 years old they changed the oil and filter, air filter, cabin filter, and transmission fluid and then offered it for sale as a certified pre-owned vehicle. I can see the 2nd owner had the transmission flushed with new fluid at 50,111 miles and then again at 84,825 miles
That means I didn't have to automatically change all the fluids when I purchased the vehicle. It also means I could be confident that the maintenance was done and a vehicle that drove nice on the test drive wasn't likely to be hiding a maintenance related problem. For example I could see the brake fluid had been changed on a regular basis so it is unlikely that the ABS module will seize up and fail which is common in cars that never have the brake fluid changed.