Used cars in Mesa Az and Car History Reports
Mesa is a big city which is again part of the greater Maricopa county area. It’s pretty suburban, not very densely populated because everyone is sort of spread out. If you want to buy some used cars in mesa az, who are you going to trust? Buying from a friend is ok, but buying from a used car dealer (who is not certified by the original manufacturer) or from a private seller is like a shot in the dark. Cars that seem totally fine even to experienced mechanics can actually be hunks of scrap that have been welded together from old wrecks. A car history report, while not perfect, is going to tilt the odds in your favor again for not getting screwed over in a deal.
The leader in the field is CARFAX. If you check out their website, there’s a free service to alert you whether or not a report is available. Of course, if it’s available, you’ll have to pay a small charge (about $25) to get a copy of it. Not expensive. Better yet, if you’re checking out lots of used cars in Mesa Az, check them all at once for a bulk discount on the CARFAX reports. Finally, the pricing plan used to have an unlimited usage option for about $35 you can check as many as possible during a certain time period. If you’re buying one or more used cars in Mesa Az, this is highly advised. Once you get the report, what can you find out? If the car has been in an accident and has received a report from the insurance company or other party, you can find out:
- Involvement in an accident
- Salvage status
- Flood damage
- Whether it’s in a lien (i.e. about to be repossessed by a creditor)
- Vehicle use, mileage and odometer consistency, inspection results.
Before you hit the site, make sure you have the VIN ready. (Get it when you examine the car at the dealer or with the private seller). This information is on the windshield on a little tag, or near the fender, or on the vehicle title. The VIN is special because it really is a ‘unique’ identifier There are a few other companies that provide vehicle history reports. This information is probably free somewhere, but it takes the resources and dedication of a private company to pull it all together and offer it to us for convenient use. Experian auto is amongst these companies. Incidentally, Experian is also a credit check company who provides credit reports to common consumers who want to know what’s holding back their credit ceiling. Good thing about Experian (aka Autochecker) they are a bit cheaper than CARFAX.
It’s sad, but many cars which went through Hurricanes Ike or Katrina were severely damaged and can be placed back on the market with some cosmetic changes. These cars should really be donated to charity and written off as a loss rather than fixed up for the secondary market.