We are trying to get a used car and I cant find anywhere that will give me a history report on the car without having to freaking buy it.
Anywhere I can go, or call so that i can get this information without burning my wallet?
Absolutely!
Click Here for a Free Car History Report at Vehix Now!
You're Crazy to Buy any Used Car Without a Car History Report!
I met this guy down at the local watrering hole where I play pool and when he heard that I buy and sell cars for a living, he said that he was an "expert" at inspecting cars and would be happy to provide his services for a reasonable fee. I told him that I was grateful for the offer, but that I didn't really need any help in that department.
He kept after me so I finally agreed to let him tag along to my next auction. Not as a paid consultant, but as an observer.
When the day arrived, we got an early start and he immediately started "evaluating" the cars. All serious buyers know what to look for when evaluating the condition of a car and they do it quickly and quietly and professionally.
Mr. Expert, however, took great pride in loudly annoucing every "flaw" he could see. Even though he was wrong with his assessments about half the time, I was glad to let him mouth off and scare the rookies away. None of the regular buyers were paying any attention to him at all.
Then we came on this very sweet little 59 corvette. This thing looked like a cream puff. It looked like it had never been out of the garage.
But when I ran it through Vehix, it came back as having had 20 owners and had been declared salvage at one point. It wasn't even clear who the current title holder really was.
But Mr. Expert didn't bother to do a car history report. He has his "years of experience" that told him everything he needed to know.
I mentioned that the car had been salvaged from an insurance total about three years ago.
"I can see that," he said. "It was all body work damage, the frame is straight and that's all that matters. This is a good car."
Sure enough, when the car came up, none of the professionals made a single bid. It was rookie heaven and they all had auction fever, especially Mr. Expert. He ended up paying $60K - basically a retail price and certainly not any sort of "deal."
He was proud however and I didn't say anything. No reason to rain on the guy's parade.
A couple of weeks later, I saw him shooting pool and I asked him how he was enjoying that sweet little ride.
"Oh, umm, well, those freakin cops didn't clear the title before they sold the damn car! About a week after I got the car home, some cops show up with a court order saying some guy I never heard of was the legal title owner and he was claiming his property!"
"Wow" I said in mock amazement.
"The didn't want to hear that I had bought it at a police auction. They claimed it didn't matter and that I was out the money and tough shit. Then they drove off in my corvette."
I didn't see the need to point out that it had never really been his corvette and that he would be sixty grand richer if he had simply run a vehicle report before the auction.
