TheSamba.com :: View topic

Fri Jun 13, 2008 8:46 am

My business partner recently bought a 04 BMW Z4 from a dealer with a clean dealer supplied carfax and about 20,000 miles. She is waiting for her tag and her insurance co. has told her that a claim was filed on the car in 06 for around $45,000. She contacted that insurance co. and they couldn't release any details due to "privacy isuues" (B.S.) so she's not sure what to do. She doesn't want to contact Carfax to check it out yet because she thinks that it wouldn't be in their interest to find anything other than a clear report. How can she get info on this claim from 06 to find out what's going on. Thanks for any help.

Fri Jun 13, 2008 8:51 am

DMV, trace the owners and ask them.

Fri Jun 13, 2008 11:08 am

Sounds like she needs to go back to the dealer and ask them to clear it up...

Fri Jun 13, 2008 11:14 am

TeamSpatula wrote: Sounds like she needs to go back to the dealer and ask them to clear it up...
That's coming. I think she would like to accumulate a little info first.

Fri Jun 13, 2008 6:28 pm

dembus wrote: TeamSpatula wrote: Sounds like she needs to go back to the dealer and ask them to clear it up...
That's coming. I think she would like to accumulate a little info first.

IMHO.....the sooner the better! Extra info would be nice, but I'd rather clear it up before the purchase/ownership process moves along any further.

Will

Fri Jun 13, 2008 6:47 pm

Carfax is just an internet scam.

Fri Jun 13, 2008 7:48 pm

vwracerdave wrote: Carfax is just an internet scam.
Couldn't agree more. Two cars I looked up, knowing they had multiple accidents and insurance claims came up "could not find VIN info."

My Vibe suffered around $9k in rear end damage two years ago, CARFAX shows a clean report for it with no accident damage reported. That will be a nice thing when I trade it in...

Fri Jun 13, 2008 8:55 pm

We just can't imagine what a claim for $45,000 would be. That sounds like almost totaled. The car is sweet so maybe it's an error. She is varifying vin numbers to make sure the carfax vin matches hers.

Fri Jun 13, 2008 9:25 pm

Flood? That would get a claim that high.

Sat Jun 14, 2008 4:56 am

my65vert wrote: Flood? That would get a claim that high.

Hope not!

Sat Jun 14, 2008 6:58 am

Theft/recovery?

Sat Jun 14, 2008 7:34 am

Since she knows there is something fishy about the car, I would take the car back right now and have an attorney present. The sooner you get it done, the better.
I don't care how much she loves the car, etc, take it back. The dealer mis-represented the car, and that is all there is to it.
Doesn't matter what caused the $45k damage.

Sat Jun 14, 2008 7:53 am

Russ Wolfe wrote: Since she knows there is something fishy about the car, I would take the car back right now and have an attorney present. The sooner you get it done, the better.
I don't care how much she loves the car, etc, take it back. The dealer mis-represented the car, and that is all there is to it.
Doesn't matter what caused the $45k damage.
x50.
don't be stupid and keep pissing and moaning about how much she likes the car,.. do it or drop it.
you asked.
<== nice BMW
http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2003/08/fieldwork.html

Sat Jun 14, 2008 11:01 am

Did a Z4 cost $45k new? for some reason I doubt it. Would it have been worth that much 2 years later doubt it

Sat Jun 14, 2008 3:04 pm

She's hoping it's an error like the wrong vin number. It would be prudent to varify that before going back to the dealer with guns slinging. Dont worry, she won't put up with any shit. I'll keep you posted.

Sat Jun 14, 2008 5:57 pm

Carfax is only as accurate as the data it receives. Some insurance companies don't report their claims to Carfax, plain and simple. If a car has a salvaged title, that should always show up since it's reported by a state DMV.

I think all that Carfax guarantees is that the car's title is clear, not that they'll have records of every insurance claim ever filed on it.

Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:01 am

OK, so we have found that there was "extensive front end damage" and some compensation to a third party. She has been comunicating with the insurance company and they are being very helpful about the damage information itself. It was supposedly repaired by a BMW collision center so I'm finding it hard to belive that this info. is nowhere to be found in the vehicle history reports. It's going to get interesting.

Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:05 am

return the car.

Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:40 pm

as a car dealer, i can only say this...

if it's not reported SPECIFICALLY to car fax, they will have no record of any incident.

that said... let's say it was fixed at that dealer. who out there thinks that it's gonna get reported? is it responsible? probably not. is it illegal? definitely not. you know it was damaged, it wasn't disclosed, BUT when she bought it, she signed the AS IS paperwork. the dealership is not responsible for the damage, nor for reporting it. this is why i am glad i sell primarily new vehicles. anything over 800 bucks (i think that's the number) has to be disclosed.

Thu Jun 19, 2008 2:42 pm

Depending on the state if it was owned by the dealer at the time of the accident they don’t have to report it on the car's history. But they legally have to tell you about it if you ask. The key is you have to ask. The will try to get around it by saying the carfax history shows it hasn’t been in an accident. I bought a car that was a demo car that the dealer had since it was new. They showed me the carfax and said it’s never been in an accident but most of the rear of the car was replaced. Some dealers are scum and will lie about things to try to make a quick buck. If she really likes the car and doesn’t care if it’s been hit she needs to at least renegotiate the price or bring it back. Tell here to bring a lawyer if they don’t take the car back. That usually will get things rolling because they know you mean business.