Anyway to get info on prior vehicle accident?

[WTR&PWR]

I was looking at a truck and ready to pull the trigger then I saw the carfax. It looks like it had a “moderate” front end collision. Does anyone know what constitutes “moderate? Air bags did not deploy. Truck is at a reputable dealer and was traded in after the collision. This is basically a deal breaker for me but curious if anyone in the insurance world has info on this for future vehicles.

It’s an f-350 king ranch out of upland. 29k miles trying to make sure I do all my homework.

 

[wzuber]

I would say no structural damage but significant body damage, bumpers etc. Look at all the hood, fender, inner fender mounting bolts. Usually you see where the oem locations were verses after repair locations. Gives you an idea of what all was replaced or repaired.

 

[Orange Juice]

I bought a corvette that was recovered after a thief. CarFax indicated it was involved in a fire and totaled.

I could not fine any signs of a vehicle fire. All #’s match engine and transmission(7spd). The car was actually a nice car. It had a salvage title. I owned it for 3 years, and sold it to a friend who still drives it.

 

[rivermobster]

No air bags deployed?

Couldn't have been anything major I'm thinking?

 

[SOCALCRICKETT]

If I'm not mistaken the difference between minor, moderate and major damage on an insurance report has to do with the $$ the adjuster wrote to fix the truck. It used to be vehicles were totaled when the repair costs exceeded 80% of the vehicles market value

 

[Riverbottom]

If you knew the body shop, most likely they could print a copy of the estimate. When I owned my collision repair shop, all completed repair estimates were saved in the computer. I could look up a repair that was done fifteen years ago.

 

[Deckin Around]

Try just looking up the Vin number online. My buddy bought a salvage repaired car and found the pictures of it all smashed up on a salvage auction site from before it was repaired.

 

[Ragged Edge]

Carfax is a joke. I took my truck to a local body shop to get a quote for removing a dent from the tailgate. Carfax now says the truck has rear end damage. No work was done at this body shop, just a quote. I replaced the tailgate with one off of EBay.

 

[dribble]

A note on Car Fax. I bought a used BMW 135i convertible with a clean CarFax from a local high end dealer with multiple stores. I called a buddy at my former work and he ran it through the National Insurance database. That will give the date time and location of any accidents as well as other vehicles involved. It had been involved in two collisions. One with an air bag deployment. Both times it was repaired by the dealer I bought it from.

Later I bought a 2016 Jag from the same company. Clean Car Fax. It had been in one collision, no structure damage.

I wouldn’t wipe my ass with a Car Fax report.

 

[WTR&PWR]

A note on Car Fax. I bought a used BMW 135i convertible with a clean CarFax from a local high end dealer with multiple stores. I called a buddy at my former work and he ran it through the National Insurance database. That will give the date time and location of any accidents as well as other vehicles involved. It had been involved in two collisions. One with an air bag deployment. Both times it was repaired by the dealer I bought it from.

Later I bought a 2016 Jag from the same company. Clean Car Fax. It had been in one collision, no structure damage.

I wouldn’t wipe my ass with a Car Fax report.

Is there anyway to run the vin through the insurance database prior to purchase or do you have to have an inside connection?

 

[WTR&PWR]

Try just looking up the Vin number online. My buddy bought a salvage repaired car and found the pictures of it all smashed up on a salvage auction site from before it was repaired.

I just did this and found it. Thank you! Definitely NOT BUYING.

 

[Deckin Around]

I just did this and found it. Thank you! Definitely NOT BUYING.

Let's see the pics

Carfax only has info if the vehicle was fixed through insurance I thought.
Everyone with no collision or comp coverage has damage fixed at a body shop out of pocket and the car doesn't get reported to anyone

 

[WTR&PWR]

Let's see the pics

Carfax only has info if the vehicle was fixed through insurance I thought.
Everyone with no collision or comp coverage has damage fixed at a body shop out of pocket and the car doesn't get reported to anyone

 

[dribble]

Is there anyway to run the vin through the insurance database prior to purchase or do you have to have an inside connection?

Had an inside connection. He retired this year.

 

[FreeBird236]

View attachment 1461052 View attachment 1461053

Being a layman on collision repair I'm not sure I would buy it either. It does seem like the evaluation of moderate is fairly honest, however. I guess with all the choices on the market why take a chance. I have a friend that's been a Ford body man for over 25 years he says some of the new Fords are extremely hard to repair, and in some cases really weren't made to be repaired.

 

[WTR&PWR]

Being a layman on collision repair I'm not sure I would buy it either. It does seem like the evaluation of moderate is fairly honest, however. I guess with all the choices on the market why take a chance. I have a friend that's been a Ford body man for over 25 years he says some of the new Fords are extremely hard to repair, and in some cases really weren't made to be repaired.

Yes, I’m not going to buy it. More or less I wanted to get educated on the process. Surprised this is at a CDJR dealership. I’d expect it on a small corner lot dealer.