Bought a car privately last year with cash and don't see the title transfer on Carfax

noone · 01-13-2020, 01:14 PM

Is this normal?

Paid cash for it, he handed me the title. Verified loan payoff with BMW FS prior to purchasing and he also provided loan payoff letter.

Took title to my local DMV in May 2018, paid my tax, and they handed me a new title.

Don't see my title on the new Carfax.

Is this normal?

f80er · 01-13-2020, 01:23 PM

Who cares? Carfax is a scam anyway

nioh_lbbm2 · 01-13-2020, 02:49 PM

Car fax is an independent information aggregator. It's not recognized as any legal official record. All that matters is the DMV recognizes the transfer.

noone · 01-13-2020, 03:49 PM

Interesting. I did not realize how incomplete it is. Do small insurance claims like windshield replacements even show up?

BzsBimmer · 01-13-2020, 05:33 PM

Carfax, Autocheck, etc is hit or miss. Sometimes it takes a long time, if at all, to have records show up. I wouldn’t hold my breath on its accuracy.

noone · 01-13-2020, 07:49 PM

I thought insurance claims like wrecks always show up. Not true?

LVI · 01-14-2020, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noone

I thought insurance claims like wrecks always show up. Not true?

not always.

G35POPPEDMYCHERRY · 01-14-2020, 09:54 PM

carfax is a good start on the history of a car...to use it as the one and only piece is how dealers scam buyers and vice versa.

MNR · 01-19-2020, 05:29 PM

I have seen instances like this before. The timing of posting for events (registration renewals, ownership transfers, service records, insurance claims etc.) typically depends on how soon Carfax gets (or purchases) the data from their sources. I once saw a $30k accident (~$50k vehicle) not show up on a Carfax for nearly 2 years while routine service history on my prior cars was updated almost immediately.

You could always open up an inquiry with Carfax but I surely wouldn't lose sleep over it.

01-13-2020, 01:14 PM	#1
noone Second Lieutenant 196 Rep 277 Posts Drives: 2018 M3 ZCP Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Florida iTrader: (0)	Bought a car privately last year with cash and don't see the title transfer on Carfax Is this normal? Paid cash for it, he handed me the title. Verified loan payoff with BMW FS prior to purchasing and he also provided loan payoff letter. Took title to my local DMV in May 2018, paid my tax, and they handed me a new title. Don't see my title on the new Carfax. Is this normal?
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01-13-2020, 01:23 PM	#2
f80er Banned 2056 Rep 1,984 Posts Drives: An M3 Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: DMV iTrader: (1)	Who cares? Carfax is a scam anyway
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01-13-2020, 02:49 PM	#3
nioh_lbbm2 Lieutenant Colonel 1717 Rep 1,899 Posts Drives: M2 Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: California iTrader: (0)	Car fax is an independent information aggregator. It's not recognized as any legal official record. All that matters is the DMV recognizes the transfer.
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01-13-2020, 03:49 PM	#4
noone Second Lieutenant 196 Rep 277 Posts Drives: 2018 M3 ZCP Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Florida iTrader: (0)	Interesting. I did not realize how incomplete it is. Do small insurance claims like windshield replacements even show up?
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01-13-2020, 05:33 PM	#5
BzsBimmer Major General 3267 Rep 6,722 Posts Drives: '23 G80 FO M3, M3 & MY Tezzy's Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Nor. Cal iTrader: (32)	Carfax, Autocheck, etc is hit or miss. Sometimes it takes a long time, if at all, to have records show up. I wouldn’t hold my breath on its accuracy.
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01-13-2020, 07:49 PM	#6
noone Second Lieutenant 196 Rep 277 Posts Drives: 2018 M3 ZCP Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Florida iTrader: (0)	I thought insurance claims like wrecks always show up. Not true?
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01-14-2020, 09:54 PM	#8
G35POPPEDMYCHERRY Banned 4997 Rep 4,139 Posts Drives: F80 Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Philadelphia iTrader: (1)	carfax is a good start on the history of a car...to use it as the one and only piece is how dealers scam buyers and vice versa.
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01-19-2020, 05:29 PM	#9
MNR Banned 268 Rep 230 Posts Drives: 2018 F80 ZCP Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	I have seen instances like this before. The timing of posting for events (registration renewals, ownership transfers, service records, insurance claims etc.) typically depends on how soon Carfax gets (or purchases) the data from their sources. I once saw a $30k accident (~$50k vehicle) not show up on a Carfax for nearly 2 years while routine service history on my prior cars was updated almost immediately. You could always open up an inquiry with Carfax but I surely wouldn't lose sleep over it.
	Appreciate 0 Quote