Anything to worry about?

[MCM]

I have noticed when I run a Carfax on some cars there can be gaps of
10-13yrs? The day it was sold, then at times the next date is way down the road? Have seen jumps from 1990-2003?
Any ideas?

 

[The Kid]

nothing to worry about :wink:

 

[Tom239]

Sometimes there's nothing to report on.

I bought a car new in 1997. Until I sold it in 2004,
the only event noted by Carfax was the original sale/title.

 

[MCM]

Tom as you live in Lone Pine Ca. I would think I could verify the mileage on your 97 by its smog checks. There would be 4 entries in its Detailed Vehicle History. When you bought it, and 3 smog checks

I finally found something good about Ca. smog checks.
Its a great way to verify mileage.
Am used to looking at Ca. cars with smog checks every 2 years.
I posted this as It seemed odd there can be 10 or more years spans with nothing that lists mileage. But, now I know. "nothing to worry about".

 

[Tom239]

Tom as you live in Lone Pine Ca. I would think I could verify the mileage on your 97 by its smog checks. There would be 4 entries in its Detailed Vehicle History. When you bought it, and 3 smog checks

Lone Pine is in Inyo County, which doesn't require periodic smog checks. I used to think a biennial smog check was a statewide requirement in California, but it's not. See this page for a list of which areas require it. That web page also mentions a rule that went into effect this year: new cars (in any California county) won't need a smog check for the first six years.

Smog check is required to sell a used car; I had one done the day before I sold it.

 

[Bilulan]

I finally found something good about Ca. smog checks.
Its a great way to verify mileage.

UNLESS.....one of the data entry folks transposes some digits. I have read horror stories where the car jumps up and down in miles just because the smog checker didn't enter miles correctly.

 

[MCM]

Thanks for all the info!

 

[Zennsx]

Just remember that a carfax report may or may not show if a car has been in an accident. When I started looking for an NSX this past winter I came across a black NSX from Maryland on cars.com , I called the owner and ran a carfax report on the car and It came up as being clear. I made arrangemts to pick up the car (pending inspection) and had a cashiers check in hand. The NIGHT before I was planning to pick it up I ran another report from another company, I think autovantage , to my suprise the car had been listed as having a SALVAGED title!!!

I called the owner and apparantly he purchased it from someone in Chicago sight unseen and he also used carfax. He was only aware that it was a salvaged title after purchasing it . :frown:

So for the heck of it I ran my smashed S2000 (avatar) vin into the Carfax database and that also came up clear. It seems there is no substitute for having an experienced tech (or yourself) going over a car especially if its a long distance purchase.