robt23

Hello,

Looking for a second hand car and using Carfax , which is a company that uses a car`s registration number to locate history .

This is particularly useful for checking mileage , accidents , whether vehicle has been a taxi or outstanding debts etc..

Now to my question.

I am using as a source a buy and sell portal called `Milanuncios`.

I found 4 cars i liked , introduced the registrations to Carfax and all came up "unable to locate registration number", and this is before you actually pay for the cars history.

Question, do i take it that if Carfax is unable to find a car`s registration number that :

1 - Car`s history is incomplete
2 - False number plate and/or stolen ?
3 - Stay well clear of any car not found in the Carfax database ?

Would appreciate anybody who has/had similar experience with Carfax.

Many thanks.

VEDShappy

Does Carfax not only cover US vehicles?

robt23

I am using this Carfax :

https://www.carfax.es/?gclid=CL2y6qW9mM0CFWoz0wodIKkGew

Which is The Spanish version.

VEDShappy

Just tried my car on there and it wasn't recognised either.

robt23

Ok, thanks for that.

It could well be Carfax does not have a wide database.

Maybe with a few more registrations we might get a better idea of how well they perform.

I think i will be going to trafico tomorrow and paying the 7 or so euros it costs to check out those registrations.

VEDShappy

It would be interesting to see if anyone had a "hit" with the site though

lyric030250

Mine is recognised 9.99 please.

lyric030250

Correction Both mine are recognised.
One is a four year old original Spanish car, the other is an eleven year old re-matriculated UK car.

Fredbargate

Failed with a 16 year old registration

olivefarmer

mine didn't work either.

spainrico

Just seen this post - after having posted a thread - Checking on 2nd hand cars...........I tried carfax with 3 cars including my own which I have had from new - it found none of them. Go to traffico, it's free (well in Alicante yesterday it was)

robt23

I went this morning to Trafico and told them i had a car registration to check ; however, didn`t get the same results as you.

All the clerk could do was ( una transferencia ) , a name change. The car came out as advertised but Trafico said no mileage, crash history or anything to do with the car`s past could be checked by them.

So things in Granada are done slightly differently than in Alicante.

Leaves me no where really.

Might just buy a car from a second hand car dealer , could be safer than buying privately.

Problem here is that it`s very difficult to buy a second hand car for under 4000 euros with :

- DSG
- 5 door hatchback
- Diesel but if petrol below 6L/100 km
- Rear wash wipe
- Electric seats , cloth not leather
- Sat Nav
- Not public transport

I have more or less singled out a Skoda Octavia 2.0 diesel 2009 white , with 229k .

The car does not have electric seats , nor sat nav but it`s the best compromise i have seen. Of course there is the problem with lack of information with the number plates, this is what`s holding me back.

VEDShappy

As a separate issue, I can sympathise with your difficulty in finding a car here which meets specific criteria, I had similar problems.

The one that you have singled out does, in some respects, suggest that it might have been a taxi.

teuchterpete

My car does not exist on their database, and I was stopped by the trafico the other month for a spot check, and all OK according to them.
I would not use them. ( carfax or trafico!!!)