Ever seen a "good" carfax that still made you worry?

[nanofishes]

Been lurking since I bought my '20 Big Horn in July 2020 (that I love), and I have a burning question for you folks.

I have been looking for a while for what seems to be a rarity: low mileage used Rebel (20+) level 2 with 33gal tank and air suspension. Most of my trips involve pulling a camper. I finally found something that seems perfect, though it has one of the optional rebel bed decals that I would rather take off. Looking at the carfax though, it seems pretty suspicious: '21 Rebel sold 2/9/21 that has already had 3 owners in Texas before being sold at auction to a small town GM dealer in NC.

Owner 1
2/9/21 Title issued El Paso, TX
3/2/21 Vehicle service-inspection and oil @5,328mi
5/11/21 Vehicle service-inspection and oil @11,501mi
6/29/21 Texas safety inspection passed @14,722mi
7/2/21 Vehicle service-oil, wash and detail, electrical system checked
7/2/21 Title updated, loan released

Owner 2
7/23/21 Title updated-new owner Odessa, TX
10/30/21 Vehicle service-oil @22,835mi
11/28/21 Vehicle offered for sale @23,669mi
12/07/21 Vehicle service- Pre-delivery inspection, 80k mile service (???), wash/detail, GPS/nav install, oil change, tire balance and rotate, safety and emissions inspection @23,705mi

Owner 3
3/10/22 Title updated-new owner Seminole, TX
4/21/22 Vehicle service- inspection, air filter, fluids checked, oil, tires checked @31,569mi
8/11/22 Vehicle service- engine checked, body electrical system checked, shift linkage checked, driveshaft checked, shifter cable replaced, auto transmission shift cable adjusted @33,653mi
8/26/22 Vehicle sold-listed as dealer vehicle (auto auction)
9/9/22 Vehicle sold (auto auction)

No Owner yet
9/10/22 Vehicle offered for sale in (western) North Carolina
9/21/22 Vehicle serviced- battery/charging system checked, wipers replaced, four wheel alignment, safety inspection, oil, tires rotated, brake fluid flushed/changed @33,659mi

And now it is still for sale at that same dealer in NC. Less than 2 years on the road, 7 oil changes, and a lot of electrical checks. While it is nearly everything I am looking for, every other Rebel I have my eye on has a clean one-owner history. What do you think? Lemon with issues lurking under the hood, or standard stuff from being passed around so much? Thanks

edit: Standard Hemi V8, no etorque

 

[Darksteel165]

Yeah that's weird.

I wouldn't touch that unless it was 75% off MSRP.

I also see a large amount of miles getting put on it also between owner 1 and owner 2.8
6/29/21 14,722mi
10/30/21 22,835mi

In 3-4 months they put on over 8k miles

Also this shifter cable replaced, auto transmission shift cable seems kinda weird.
And to boot it was sold at auction, sounds like the dealership knew there were major problems any didn't want to fix it and didn't want another dealership to inspect it, I believe at most auctions you can only "look" and buy.

It would still be under warranty but that's a hella risk.

I sold my 18 Silverado still under warranty because the transfer case was starting to have major and 2 dealerships couldn't fix it and get it right. It might of ended up needing a new transfer case $3k + labor after the warranty expired. I ended up selling the truck to Carmax and took the $14k in positive equity to buy a new Ram.

 

[djevox]

If it were me, I’d be doing this:

 

[Lurts]

Yep, I’d pass on that one. My carfax had a “second owner” that turned out to just be the dealership buying the truck, but nothing like that report

 

[Av1]

I wouldn't even consider it. That is asking for regret.

Trust your instinct.

 

[OldMarine]

would you marry a woman who was dumped by 3 guys in 2 years?

 

[Mister 4x4]

Carfax is junk.

My wife's 2015 Camaro 2LT had a clean Carfax, but shortly after we bought it from a local stealership learned that it had been a rental car, and crashed sometime after having been stolen (information I found online by looking up the VIN, and Carfax should've had but didn't). Apparently, it was recovered by the rental company, repaired, and sold to whomever our local stealership obtained it from without ever having the Carfax updated. I was not wanting to buy that actual car, since we were going to get a nicer red one in DFW the next day. But she'd never driven one so we test drove it and then she decided that's the one she wanted instead. It was her car, so I wasn't going to argue, but the shards of broken glass I found still in a few strategic places and the missing Camaro badge from the driver side fender were red flags to me. It ended up totaled around 6 months later thanks to a street racer who lost control and slammed into us, so we wound up getting a nicer red RS, anyway.

 

[wegasque]

woukld you marry a woman who was dumped by 3 guys in 2 years?

No, but I think I was one of those 3 guys when I was young...

 

[nanofishes]

Thanks for all the input. I think even if I bought it, I would always be worried about what gremlins may be lurking under the hood. In case someone else ever googles this same thing, the VIN is 1C6SRFLT7MN616009. You can see the current listing at https://www.everettchevy.com/invent...-rebel-4wd-crew-cab-pickup-1c6srflt7mn616009/

 

[Albino3006]

Be VERY careful with Carfax and personally I would have the dealership pay for and show you the AutoCheck report. I just found out the hard way that I was shown a clear carfax on my used 2019 BH, and was assured it was never wrecked. Was looking to upgrade to a 2022 last month and found out that Autocheck shows a wreck with "moderate" damage to the rear, but had I known that it was previously wrecked, I would not have bought it. I just don't trust a wrecked vehicle.

 

[Darksteel165]

Be VERY careful with Carfax and personally I would have the dealership pay for and show you the AutoCheck report. I just found out the hard way that I was shown a clear carfax on my used 2019 BH, and was assured it was never wrecked. Was looking to upgrade to a 2022 last month and found out that Autocheck shows a wreck with "moderate" damage to the rear, but had I known that it was previously wrecked, I would not have bought it. I just don't trust a wrecked vehicle.

Same thing happened to me.
I owned a used car for 5 years and when I went to sell Autocheck shows it was in an accident a year before I bought it. Was fixed so well I never knew but the dealership took $1500 off because of it not being an 0 accident car.

 

[Albino3006]

Same thing happened to me.
I owned a used car for 5 years and when I went to sell Autocheck shows it was in an accident a year before I bought it. Was fixed so well I never knew but the dealership took $1500 off because of it not being an 0 accident car.

Yea, I'm getting the same luck and seems that I'm stuck with this '19 until paid off

 

[nc_beagle]

That dealership is 15 minutes from me. Never dealt with them though.

I wouldn't chance it though I bought a year old Mazda 3 with 30K miles on it and 90K later I have had nothing go wrong at all-except for a kayak fell off the roof and left a dent and a moron hit it with a shopping cart.

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

The lemon would show up on its history. But Carfax is not always dependable.

I went and looked at a car with a "clean" record once. I couldsee the overspray in the door jambs. Things did not align. It was obvious at least the rear end and one quarter panel were replaced. The dealer pretended like he did not notice. I called BS and let him know he was either a dirtbag or too stupid to sell a car. I didn't like wasting half my day.

 

[Limited Legend]

Have you test driven it or gave a thorough look over? I've noticed a lot of trucks with several owners on Carfax, I looked for 2 years before I pulled the trigger. They sell as fast as the one owner and CPO trucks. Look at the trucks from Huntley Ford just north of Chicago, most all come out of Canada and have had multiple owners.

 

[Darksteel165]

Have you test driven it or gave a thorough look over? I've noticed a lot of trucks with several owners on Carfax, I looked for 2 years before I pulled the trigger. They sell as fast as the one owner and CPO trucks. Look at the trucks from Huntley Ford just north of Chicago, most all come out of Canada and have had multiple owners.

Lots of trucks 1 year old with 3 owners?

 

[Limited Legend]

Lots of trucks 1 year old with 3 owners?

Yes, I've seen many. Get on cars.com or auto trader and look at the carfaxes. As mentioned earlier, sometimes it shows dealers as owners.

 

[Limited Legend]

Used 2021 Ram 1500 For Sale at Huntley Ford | VIN: 1C6SRFHMXMN694673

Used 2021 Ram 1500 from Huntley Ford in Huntley, IL, 60142. Call 877-841-2409 for more information.

www.fordhuntley.com

 

[Darksteel165]

Yes, I've seen many. Get on cars.com or auto trader and look at the carfaxes. As mentioned earlier, sometimes it shows dealers as owners.

Used 2021 Ram 1500 For Sale at Huntley Ford | VIN: 1C6SRFHMXMN694673

Used 2021 Ram 1500 from Huntley Ford in Huntley, IL, 60142. Call 877-841-2409 for more information.

www.fordhuntley.com

That is for a commercial vehicle sold to a single business in Canada then sold to a dealership and imported to USA where it sits at the currently selling dealer. It's a 1 owner vehicle if you actually read the Carfax.
It was imported to the USA and lists the Ontario Ministry of Transportation as an owner which obviously was\is not true. It then lists the buying dealer as another owner, where it currently sits for sale

 

[Aseras]

Be VERY careful with Carfax and personally I would have the dealership pay for and show you the AutoCheck report. I just found out the hard way that I was shown a clear carfax on my used 2019 BH, and was assured it was never wrecked. Was looking to upgrade to a 2022 last month and found out that Autocheck shows a wreck with "moderate" damage to the rear, but had I known that it was previously wrecked, I would not have bought it. I just don't trust a wrecked vehicle.

Buy the reports yourself and have them reimburse/comp you.

You can also have them put clean title and no accidents on a "we owe" so it's an actual contract.