|
A
vehicle is most likely
the second most expensive
purchase consumers make.
If that vehicle is
previously owned,
consumers should take the
extra time (and the
following advice) to make
sure the car is all it is
cracked up to be - and
not a victim of a covered
over crack-up.
CARMAX OFFERS TIPS TO
SPOT HIDDEN VEHICLE
DAMAGE
Carmax.com "Quick Poll"
Finds Consumers Often
Misidentify Damage
Indicators
RICHMOND, Va. (April 28,
2008) - Most consumers do
not know the biggest
warning signs indicating
a vehicle may have been
in a major accident,
according to a poll
conducted by CarMax,
Inc., the nation’s
largest retailer of used
cars.
More than 70 percent
of respondents said that
repainting the car is the
strongest indicator of
vehicle damage. According
to CarMax’s knowledgeable
car-buying professionals,
however, clamp marks on a
vehicle’s frame are the
biggest sign that the car
may have been involved in
a serious collision.
"A car might be
repainted to address
cosmetic issues rather
than a serious accident,"
said David Claeys,
purchasing manager for
CarMax in Richmond,
Virginia. "Paint work
isn’t as big of an
indicator as clamp marks
on the frame of the
vehicle. People should be
sure to do their research
look beyond a paint job
when buying a used car
and consider several
other factors in order to
spot hidden signs of
prior vehicle damage."
The following are the
results of a carmax.com
"Quick Poll" where 4,837
carmax.com visitors were
asked to identify the
strongest indicator that
a car has suffered
serious vehicle damage.
|
Indicator |
Percent of
responses |
|
Repainting
|
72% |
|
Clamp marks |
18% |
|
Bumps and dents
|
8% |
|
Scratches |
2% |
"Used car shoppers
need to be on the look
out for signs a car may
have been in a bad
accident, as the safety
and resale value of the
car may have been
compromised," said Claeys.
"Cars that have had
severe structural damage
can be completely
repaired, retitled, and
sold to an unsuspecting
buyer. Minor fender
 benders often do not
compromise the integrity
of the vehicle and are
not as much of a
concern."
CarMax’s car buying
team recommends the
following tips to help
determine whether a used
car may have been in a
serious accident.
Look for
clamp marks on
the frame rail
under the car.
Clamp marks
look like holes
or gashes on
the frame of
the vehicle.
Clamp marks
usually
indicate that
the car has
been on a frame
machine, which
suggests the
vehicle may
have been in a
serious
accident.
Check the
bolts used to
fasten fenders,
doors and the
trunk lid to
see whether the
paint is broken
or bolts are
turned, which
could indicate
the bolts were
removed for
body repairs to
the vehicle.
Peel back
the fabric that
lines the trunk
and look for
welding marks
or body filler,
which may
indicate that
repairs were
made on the
body of the
vehicle.
Look for
signs of
repainting on
the car, such
as
inconsistency
in the
paintwork or
paint on the
molding or
gaskets. Run
your finger
along the
inside of the
door edge and
see if the
finish is
smooth or
rough. A rough
finish can be
caused by
overspray
during
repainting. If
signs of
repainting are
found, ask
additional
questions to
determine if
the paintwork
was for minor
scratches and
dents or to
cover up more
serious vehicle
damage.
Listen for
any engine
noise when you
test drive the
vehicle. A
major accident
can cause
damage to any
part of the
engine. Ask
questions about
any noise that
sounds unusual.
Check to see
if all the
doors, the
hood, and trunk
lid close
properly. If
they don’t,
this could
indicate the
use of
replacement
parts due to a
major accident.
Check to see
if the odometer
changes miles
as the vehicle
is driven.
Check the
vehicle
identification
number, or VIN,
on the
dashboard and
see if it
matches the VIN
on the sticker
inside the door
of the vehicle.
If the numbers
do not match,
the door may
have been
replaced.
Review
reports from
AutoCheck,
offered free of
charge for all
cars in the
CarMax
inventory on
carmax.com or
Carfax with the
VIN to
determine if
there are any
reports of the
vehicle as
stolen,
declared a
lemon, or
previously
involved in a
serious
collision.
CarMax’s nationwide
team of approximately
1,000 car-buying
professionals has
appraised more than 9
million cars. These
buyers are trained to
detect possible signs of
vehicle damage and
whether a car has been in
a major accident. CarMax
will not retail any used
car that has frame or
flood damage or an
inaccurate mileage count
on the odometer. On
carmax.com, you can read
about our Clean Title
guarantee
CarMax will buy any
car, whether or not the
seller purchases a CarMax
vehicle. Cars not meeting
CarMax’s stringent
mechanical, electrical
and safety standards are
sold to dealers at
in-store wholesale
auctions. More than half
of the cars the company
retails are purchased
directly from consumers.
Online shoppers can
use the CarMax website to
search the company’s
inventory of more than
25,000 new and used cars.
The website showcases
each vehicle with
multiple photos, the
no-haggle price, and
information on features,
options, fuel economy and
customer reviews. Visits
to carmax.com continue to
increase and
approximately 70 percent
of in-store customers
visited the website
before coming to the
store.
About CarMax
CarMax, a FORTUNE
500 company, and
one of the FORTUNE
2008 "100 Best
Companies to Work For,"
is the nation's largest
retailer of used cars.
Headquartered in
Richmond, Va., CarMax
currently operates 93
used car superstores in
42 markets. The CarMax
consumer offer provides
our customers the
opportunity to shop for
vehicles the way they
shop for items at other
national retailers, and
it is structured around
four customer benefits:
low, no-haggle prices; a
broad selection; high
quality vehicles; and a
customer-friendly sales
process. During the
fiscal year ended
February 29, 2008, we
retailed 377,244 used
cars and sold 222,406
wholesale vehicles at our
in-store auctions. For
more information, access
the
CarMax website.
Go to the
Travel
Index |
Travel
