CarFax vs. AutoCheck. Show Me the What?

On average, a person buys 9 “new to them” cars in their lifetime. That’s 9 chances to really mess up something big. Or, that’s 9 incredible opportunities to score an awesome vehicle and get a fantastic deal.

The difference between the two scenarios above lies in the background work you do before purchasing. And it’s just common knowledge that the only way you can get the valuable information you need is by accessing a vehicle credit report from CarFax or AutoCheck.

Wait a minute…

…there’s another vehicle reporting company other than CarFax? There sure is. With CarFax’s unforgettable marketing slogan, “Show me the CarFax,” and the handsome little CarFox mascot ingrained in our brains, it seems obvious to always choose a CarFax report.

Give me the facts. ALL the facts

First of all, let’s clarify that no vehicle credit report will capture every last detail. The information you see in those reports is only as accurate as their data sources. These sources rely on human data entry, and we all know there is a lot of room for human error.

So, with that said, we can agree that the report you get from CarFax or AutoCheck will be as thorough as possible, given the data sources available.

Why would you buy a vehicle report?

True, vehicle reports are reasonably easy to get for free. Online sites that list pre-owned vehicles like Edmunds, AutoTrader, and Cars.com are CarFax listing sites where the vehicle report is just a click away and costs nothing. And all of the vehicles listed on DriveTime come with a free AutoCheck report.

But what about small, used car dealerships that don’t list their vehicles on online venues? Maybe you find a “for sale by owner” car you like that does not have a free report. You don’t want to leave things to chance. You need to do your homework and buy a report.