Red08

There are exceptions to everything, Due to past experience, I don't trust Carfax. Personally, I would pass and look for another vette.

Kevin A Jones

Personally, I don't put much faith in Carfax reports as seems they are incorrect almost often as they are correct. Now you can for the most part trust the info contained in a GM VIS report.

Steve_R

I'm in the "multiple owners for a Corvette wouldn't bother me" group.

Elk

Which is exactly why I suggested getting the VIS when I posted the first response in this thread.

Blackwater0323

Some people buy something because they want it but did not figure if they could afford it until after a few payments.

aklim

I beg to disagree. They have been reasonably accurate. If an inaccuracy is found, it would take a lot of effort and time to remove it. It may miss stuff that the body shop does not report but what is there seems reasonable as far as accuracy goes in the last few years. A lot of sellers have "remembered" damages when I show them the reports.

aklim

Or end up hating it.

rkhegler

Buying a used vehicle is always a crapshoot. Most Corvette owners that I know take good care of their vehicles. Might want to check with a local dealership to see if there was any major work done to the car.

JMII

That is the whole point: CarFax misses stuff.

My wife's last vehicle (a Volvo) was rear ended, this is not reported on the CarFax. Damage was minor in scope but high in cost due to parts. The whole rear bumper was replaced and I believe some suspension part was replaced too. Insurance was involved so this wasn't some cash side job. The vehicle had a history of spending too much time in the service bay (which is why we got rid of it), including being flat bedded to the dealer twice, yet CarFax reported none of it. My current truck has been rear ended twice, same deal - nothing on CarFax. Our current Infiniti Q60 was damaged while under the care of the previous owner and I learned this via CarFax, but I was happy with quality of repair work so I bought it.

Thus to me CarFax can cut both ways: I wouldn't swear by it, but I don't swear at it either

jaki30

I am the 3rd owner of my 2016.
Original owner bought in Florida drove to his home in Maryland.
Traded after 3 years.
Second owner owned for 3 months. Traded for a Dodge.
I have owned it for 2 years. Currently has 20,500 miles on it.
If you have a respectable dealer to check the car and history, you should be fine.

Red08

Exactly, my point. Years ago, we bought a new Honda Accord. Less than two weeks later, my wife had a run-in with a deer, and if I remember right, the body shop charge was around $3,500. I also had a company vehicle that had some minor damage. It was taken to a body shop too, but a different one in town. Within the year, I checked both vehicles with CarFax, NEITHER vehicle showed up as have any damage, which I personally knew was false. That is why I have no faith in CarFax.

aklim

It's better than nothing or scouring the country asking every shop.

Elk

A low bar, damning with faint praise.

aklim

Yes they are also built and often used as a panty wetting device so probably OK as long as you get it reasonably priced and get a PDI

aklim

Not sure where to go but it has come a long way. It has found many a problem that the PO has tried to hide. What's your suggestion?

They did find an accident I had 15 years ago hence the low offer for trade in last year.

Bill Dearborn

I became the third owner of my 2008 C6Z when I purchased it when it was 18 months old with 13K miles on it. The first owner had the car for 2 winter months and put a few miles on it but traded the car. The 2nd owner had the car for 16 months and put almost all of the mileage on the car. The only major maintenance issue was two years later when the exhaust valve head in cylinder 1 dropped and blew the engine while I was on track. I kept the car for 6 years until I traded for my 2015Z.

I don't think the number of owners tells you anything about the car. There are just too many reasons why owners change cars to say a person did it because the car was bad. I knew one owner purchased a Vette and kept it a whole two weeks until he decided he couldn't afford the monthly payments. Others purchase the cars and let them sit in a garage. When I purchased my 2015 I ran into an owner that was selling two 2015 Z06s, a Porsche 911, and two other cars. The two Z06s were each less than a year old had no more than 3 K miles between them. The 911 was also a low-mile car.

Bill

vader86

Some people have weekend cars, some people trade em in after a couple years, a lot of owners upgrade to Z06 or whatever when the money is right. You never know, but buying gently used is still pretty common in C7s.

Kevin A Jones

My 1/2 dozen or so issues with Carfax over the years hasn't been so much missing stuff but more them reporting incorrect information, then not removing it after it has been identified as incorrect.

Last two examples:
One of my daughter's having a $6400 body shop collision repair reported by Carfax for her car that has never been in an accident. Took her about 6 months to get it removed.

And they reported my '17 GS as having the oil changed and wiper refills replaced at Hare Chevy (where I purchased my C7) in Indianapolis IN. My C7 had never left Va.
Which wouldn't have been a big deal except they reported it as having about 20,000 more miles on the odometer than it actually had. I tried to get them to remove it for months and they never did.
When I sold it the purchaser checked the Carfax and thought I was pulling a fast one on him because the mileage I claimed was much less than Carfax. Had to send him a photo of the odometer confirming the correct mileage.

aklim

It would be nice if I could just call them and say "Hey! That crash you had on my Excursion in 2006 is not really true." and they wipe it off. Unfortunately, it isn't like that and we have to accept that as fact. I would have loved them to take that off my Excursion so I can sell it as a "catch me if you can" thing. Sucks for me as a seller but it is good for me if I were the buyer. That is why when I went in to trade it in, they offered me stupid low money like $2000 or less. Can't make that omelette without breaking a few eggs.

SGM Snake

Great comments.
In regards to Carfax.
I realize it’s up to REPUTABLE dealers and repair facilities to report items. The cheap places for someone looking for a deal on a repair might not report it. Even the good ones make mistakes or make false claims. It’s unfortunate, but it’s what we have to work with.
I agree with also running a VIS report as an additional tool. Test drive and personal inspection along with the dealer.
The two cars I am looking at are no where close to Colorado so it would be a flight and hope for the best.
Done some review searching on the dealers and they seem like good folks. One is a Chevy and one is a Honda dealer.
Spending 70k cash on a car is daunting to say the least.
I would rather not have a real LOW mileage garage queen. I am 60 so this would probably be the only one I ever get.
My apologies for the rambling.
Thanks for all the comments.