panhandling for carfax report

I was hoping that someone could run a carfax report on a miata's VIN
that I am looking at. I was going to go ahead and subscribe if I find
any more to look at, but I am too much of a cheap ******* to pay $25.00
for 1 report.

Please reply to the above e-mail if you can help me out.

Thanks!

Pat

I take it your 96M is toast.

"pws" > wrote in message
...
>I was hoping that someone could run a carfax report on a miata's VIN that I
>am looking at. I was going to go ahead and subscribe if I find any more to
>look at, but I am too much of a cheap ******* to pay $25.00 for 1 report.
>
> Please reply to the above e-mail if you can help me out.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Pat

Mike wrote:
> I take it your 96M is toast.
>

Ahhh, yes. That 80 pound or so deer managed to twist the frame slightly.
I will probably be parting it out soon, I just need to figure out what
parts I am keeping for the next miata, it might even be another '96M
that I looked at, but I am almost looking for a change after 5 years
anyway, though it still needs to be a 1990-1997 miata.

Pat
'96M (RIP)

Good luck in the search man, I can identify with the hesitation to spend the
$25. Hopefully someone with a subscription will step up and help you out.

Do I remember correctly, you're in the Austin TX area?

Chris
Sugar Land, TX
92BB&T

"pws" > wrote in message
...
> Mike wrote:
> > I take it your 96M is toast.
> >
>
> Ahhh, yes. That 80 pound or so deer managed to twist the frame slightly.
> I will probably be parting it out soon, I just need to figure out what
> parts I am keeping for the next miata, it might even be another '96M
> that I looked at, but I am almost looking for a change after 5 years
> anyway, though it still needs to be a 1990-1997 miata.
>
> Pat
> '96M (RIP)

Chris D'Agnolo wrote:

> Good luck in the search man, I can identify with the hesitation to spend the
> $25. Hopefully someone with a subscription will step up and help you out.
>
> Do I remember correctly, you're in the Austin TX area?
>
> Chris
> Sugar Land, TX
> 92BB&T
>


Yes, I am in Austin, home to Lime Creek Drive, our "Little Dragon".

I am not normally a cheapskate on things like these, but it looks like I
might need to run one report only, which is $20.00. I have never used
carfax before and am wondering if it is worth it. It looks like it will
uncover any wrecks that were serious enough that the police were
involved, but if I were to fix mine and sell it, I know that would not
show up on carfax because there was no police report. (just me, my
daughter and the deceased deer, no other witnesses).
Since I am going to take the car I am looking to buy to a mechanic
and/or bodyshop to have it checked out before buying it, I am just
wondering if spending the extra $25.00 would be a waste of time. I will
already be spending that on the inspection. I guess it might be worth
the carfax report just to see where the car has been it's whole life.

By the way, if I do fix mine and sell it, I will mention the frame
damage to the next buyer. The car wasn't technically totaled, it can be
fixed and driven again, possibly even properly aligned with no real
problems, but I don't ever keep a car once the frame has been bent at all.

Pat

91 Grand Marquis. Boght brand new. was broadsided in 95 and they would not
total it. Instead, sent it to a metalworker guy who put it on some gizmo to
stretch out the frame over 3 days, cost 2500, not to mention the body work.
From then until 2001 when I got rid of it, it always pulled to the left,
regardless of wheel alignment. Rear wheel drive with a big v8 that pulls
to the left is not great in the rain, let me tell you. I know exactly how
you feel. Good luck with your search. May the grin return to you soon.


"pws" > wrote in message
...
> Chris D'Agnolo wrote:
>
> > Good luck in the search man, I can identify with the hesitation to spend
the
> > $25. Hopefully someone with a subscription will step up and help you
out.
> >
> > Do I remember correctly, you're in the Austin TX area?
> >
> > Chris
> > Sugar Land, TX
> > 92BB&T
> >
>
>
> Yes, I am in Austin, home to Lime Creek Drive, our "Little Dragon".
>
> I am not normally a cheapskate on things like these, but it looks like I
> might need to run one report only, which is $20.00. I have never used
> carfax before and am wondering if it is worth it. It looks like it will
> uncover any wrecks that were serious enough that the police were
> involved, but if I were to fix mine and sell it, I know that would not
> show up on carfax because there was no police report. (just me, my
> daughter and the deceased deer, no other witnesses).
> Since I am going to take the car I am looking to buy to a mechanic
> and/or bodyshop to have it checked out before buying it, I am just
> wondering if spending the extra $25.00 would be a waste of time. I will
> already be spending that on the inspection. I guess it might be worth
> the carfax report just to see where the car has been it's whole life.
>
> By the way, if I do fix mine and sell it, I will mention the frame
> damage to the next buyer. The car wasn't technically totaled, it can be
> fixed and driven again, possibly even properly aligned with no real
> problems, but I don't ever keep a car once the frame has been bent at all.
>
> Pat

Carfax is a tool, but don't take it as gospel.

I know of 2 instances of vehicles that show perfect clean Carfax's with NO
mention of an accident. 1 was TOTALLED by the ins co, and the other had
$8,000 worth of body work. Police reports were written on both, and both
were processed through insurance....

I know of yet another vehicle that has over 140,000 miles on it, yet Carfax
shows the mileage at 80k..

The way I view a Carfax report is If it shows damage, or a problem on the
title, it is probably true.

IF it shows a clean title, and no problems, it *might* be true, but
investigate further if possible.

ALTHOUGH!! I had this happen to me on one of my own vehicles!

Bought a used pickup with 89,000 miles on it. The dyslexic smog check dude
typed in 98,000 miles. I registered it, and the two records (one from DMV
and one from smog shop) both hit Carfax.

I pulled a carfax on it a few months later just for giggles (I had paid for
a 1 month ulimited sub for my Miata search). Anyway, the carfax shows
WARNING - ODOMETER ROLLBACK! because of the snafu!

Now, I don't know if I have any avenue to get it corrected or not, although
I don't really care because it's a beater truck and not worth a heck of a
lot anyway, but the point is it COULD easily happen on any car, and you'd be
screwed!

So, like I say... don't take Carfax for gospel. just more information!

good luck



"pws" > wrote in message
...
> Chris D'Agnolo wrote:
>
> > Good luck in the search man, I can identify with the hesitation to spend
the
> > $25. Hopefully someone with a subscription will step up and help you
out.
> >
> > Do I remember correctly, you're in the Austin TX area?
> >
> > Chris
> > Sugar Land, TX
> > 92BB&T
> >
>
>
> Yes, I am in Austin, home to Lime Creek Drive, our "Little Dragon".
>
> I am not normally a cheapskate on things like these, but it looks like I
> might need to run one report only, which is $20.00. I have never used
> carfax before and am wondering if it is worth it. It looks like it will
> uncover any wrecks that were serious enough that the police were
> involved, but if I were to fix mine and sell it, I know that would not
> show up on carfax because there was no police report. (just me, my
> daughter and the deceased deer, no other witnesses).
> Since I am going to take the car I am looking to buy to a mechanic
> and/or bodyshop to have it checked out before buying it, I am just
> wondering if spending the extra $25.00 would be a waste of time. I will
> already be spending that on the inspection. I guess it might be worth
> the carfax report just to see where the car has been it's whole life.
>
> By the way, if I do fix mine and sell it, I will mention the frame
> damage to the next buyer. The car wasn't technically totaled, it can be
> fixed and driven again, possibly even properly aligned with no real
> problems, but I don't ever keep a car once the frame has been bent at all.
>
> Pat

Chief_Wiggum wrote:

> Carfax is a tool, but don't take it as gospel.
>
> I know of 2 instances of vehicles that show perfect clean Carfax's with NO
> mention of an accident. 1 was TOTALLED by the ins co, and the other had
> $8,000 worth of body work. Police reports were written on both, and both
> were processed through insurance....
>
> I know of yet another vehicle that has over 140,000 miles on it, yet Carfax
> shows the mileage at 80k..
>
> The way I view a Carfax report is If it shows damage, or a problem on the
> title, it is probably true.
>
> IF it shows a clean title, and no problems, it *might* be true, but
> investigate further if possible.
>
> ALTHOUGH!! I had this happen to me on one of my own vehicles!
>
> Bought a used pickup with 89,000 miles on it. The dyslexic smog check dude
> typed in 98,000 miles. I registered it, and the two records (one from DMV
> and one from smog shop) both hit Carfax.
>
> I pulled a carfax on it a few months later just for giggles (I had paid for
> a 1 month ulimited sub for my Miata search). Anyway, the carfax shows
> WARNING - ODOMETER ROLLBACK! because of the snafu!
>
> Now, I don't know if I have any avenue to get it corrected or not, although
> I don't really care because it's a beater truck and not worth a heck of a
> lot anyway, but the point is it COULD easily happen on any car, and you'd be
> screwed!
>
> So, like I say... don't take Carfax for gospel. just more information!
>
> good luck
>

Thanks much, I drove dozens of miatas before I found a good one that
wasn't priced like it was new last time, and it looks like it might be
that way again. I guess I'll sign up so I can run every VIN. I had
forgotten that the car has VIN stickers on the nose and the trunk lid as
well as the fenders and a few other places. That could be very helpful
in helping to determine if it has been smashed before.

Pat