# CARFAX and Autocheck reports

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/carfax-and-autocheck-reports/25151>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Created:** [January 18, 2009, 11:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carfax-and-autocheck-reports/25151 "2009-01-18T23:40:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![vincheck](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vincheck/32/1130_2.png) [@vincheck](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vincheck)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 11:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carfax-and-autocheck-reports/25151/1 "2009-01-18T23:40:23Z")

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Has anyone done a detailed comparison of carfax reprots and autocheck reports ?  
  
 or even carproof reports?  
  
  
  
 there is a big difference in price, but what about value and information?  
  
  
  
 CHEAP CARFAX: [carfax.cogia.net](http://carfax.cogia.net)

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 11:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carfax-and-autocheck-reports/25151/2 "2009-01-18T23:54:08Z")

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I have only anecdotal info - I was recently on the used market and went w/ Autocheck (unlimited 30 day or whatever it was). It started w/ autocheck being cheaper. I searched around on the web and found nothing to suggest that it wasn’t as good as carfax. In fact I more often saw comments that it might catch more things than carfax.

I later heard from a used car rep at a local auto group that they’d dropped carfax & went to autocheck b/c they’d ended up selling a bunch of flood damage cars - carfax didn’t show the info, but autocheck did.

I later ran a check on a van I was looking at - found frame damage - got huffy with the dealer who told me it was “clean” - turns out carfax didn’t have the report.

All told - anecdotal, but I’d trust autocheck over carfax based on that.

One last item - I’ve been surprised to see occasional reference to vehicle service info on these reports. I must have pulled about 80 of them and never once saw a shred about service - what you reliably get on these is basically official/legal info form the state. Anything else will be completely hit or miss and mostly miss.

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**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 1:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carfax-and-autocheck-reports/25151/3 "2009-01-19T01:17:40Z")

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Just a question for you,Do you think a record of all auto repair (body and mechanical) should be maintained in a data base that the public could access?

Everytime a shop did any work a report was generated and stored,or maybe Public access to the Dealers warranty records,what legal barriers prevent this? I see good and bad from such as system.

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**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GreasyJack)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 4:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carfax-and-autocheck-reports/25151/4 "2009-01-19T04:28:36Z")

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It would probably be better if you got your carfax reports from the actual reputable site instead of the scam site you listed.