Hey Scotty,
I see a 1 owner 2016 Toyota Camry LE w/33k going for $16,288 at a Suburu dealership here in Florida. I had interest in it but when checking the Carfax report of the oil changes they aren't consistent. You'll see the oil was changed at 5k but the next few months it'll just say vehicle serviced. Then when then next oil change does show up on the report it'll say it was done at 16k, and then 38k -so on and so forth. So my question is should that inconsistency automatically be a deal breaker?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67dTuzR4KKM
This video by Scotty shows why Carfax isn't accurate at all and shouldn't be considered with much weight when buying a car. Carfax only shows what is reported so like Scotty's example there can even be an accident but never reported.
Best thing is to have a trusted independent mechanic check it out.
Not necessarily. You'll never find a Carfax report on any of my vehicles for maintenance or repairs because I do my own work, but they are well maintained nonetheless.
You need to have that vehicle, and any used car, gone over by a good mechanic before purchase to determine its true condition.
I do as much of my own maintenance as possible on my own cars. If I were to run a CarFax on my Mustang, I'd probably only get a couple hits; it's a 2017 that I bought brand new. I've changed my own oil every time but once. When I had brain cancer last year, my wife took it to a trusted car shop. The same shop I had replaced the rear main seal in, in my '79 Pontiac. It has just under 30k miles now, and if I would go to the dealer for the service, it would pick up a 29k mile oil change.
Always get a trusted mechanic to inspect a vehicle before you purchase it. My stepdad got burned 8 years ago, trusting CarFax. The car was flooded out, and he didn't fully realize the extent of the issue until my mom drove it and the car flashed "Trans Program" and immediately downshifted three gears. My mom got minor whiplash from it. The car was "certified pre-owned". The bank took its money back.
