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“Show me the CARFAX!” You probably heard the catchphrase before and remember the fox mascot from commercials, but have you ever thought about how a simple CARFAX could affect you? Usually, a CARFAX report saves buyers from purchasing a lemon that will only be a nightmare later on. There are a number of ways CARFAX gathers information about your vehicle, such as police reports, the DMV, and the insurance company. But will your auto repair shop give CARFAX details about that little fender bender? And how will that affect you if they do?

Let’s find out.

 

What is CARFAX and How Does it Really Work?

A CARFAX report is a history of a vehicle that is compiled by a third party. Many dealerships will provide free CARFAX reports on used vehicles so that prospective buyers can make a more informed decision. A report will detail things like:

• Repair history
• Odometer readings
• Number of past owners
• Reported accidents
• Whether the car has been salvaged or junked or called a lemon
• Whether the car was ever a fleet vehicle
• Repossession and lien history
• Manufacturer recalls
• Emission inspection status and so on.

The main goal is to prevent people from getting scammed when purchasing a car. The more information you know, the less of a risk it is to buy a used vehicle. In theory, this sounds wonderful, but there are some drawbacks which we will explain soon.

 

Where Does The Data Come From?

You’re probably a bit shocked by how much information can appear on a CARFAX. But where does it all come from? Believe it or not, CARFAX uses over 92,000 sources to compile a single report. Here are some of the sources that the company draws from:

• Vehicle manufacturers
• Fire departments
• Motor vehicle agencies in the US and Canada
• Law enforcement agencies
• Salvage auctions
• Collision repair and auto body shops
• Service and maintenance shops
• Insurance companies
• Rental/fleet vehicle enterprises
• Extended warranty companies
• Automobile import and export companies
• Inspection stations

For this reason, any time you have an accident, it can show up on a CARFAX report, even if it has not been reported. CARFAX reports receive information from a broad number of sources, including auto body shops that do collision repair, and they catalog everything from minor accidents to the most severe.

CARFAX does warn that, because not every accident is reported or does not have easily accessible information, they cannot guarantee 100 percent accurate information.

 

Do Auto Repair Shops Report to CARFAX?

As mentioned earlier, auto body shops—primarily collision repair centers—can report to CARFAX. Not every auto body shop is going to opt into contacting CARFAX to update information about your vehicle. If you are uncertain, you can ask. However, there are some actions that can get your vehicle’s information taken in by CARFAX, even if you and your auto body shop did not directly connect with the company. These include:

• Shopping for quotes on repairs or receiving multiple estimates. Some software is programmed to automatically report to CARFAX, even if the job you need to be done is just a simple scratch or dent repair.
• Ordering parts with the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
• Opening an insurance claim.
• Going to a dealership.

There are also auto body shops that say they report to CARFAX on the premise of record keeping. Should someone aim to purchase your vehicle in the future, they will be able to see a clear maintenance record, for instance. However, since these services are automatically recorded by CARFAX, it skips over the will of the vehicle owner to decide whether that information is distributed or not.

Does Reporting Ever Cause Trouble?

Unfortunately, this automatic reporting feature can complicate matters for drivers. First off, let us touch on the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). The VIN is how CARFAX keeps tabs on what has happened to your vehicle, and since the VIN is used for a number of services, like insurance and auto body shops, it gets pinged often.

And what happens? Some people have seen their insurance rates go up. Others have reported that when they go to trade it in. Even when any repairs were a result of a small fender bender, CARFAX did their own investigation and called the damage significant enough for structural damage.

Many auto body shops and insurance companies also agree that since the reports are about the vehicle’s history, not yours. You can contact your insurance company directly to opt-out of CARFAX reporting, but there is probably information about your vehicle out there already.

 

Final Thoughts

Auto body shops, as well as many other businesses and organizations, use CARFAX and also report to the company on a regular basis. Most of the time, that reporting is automatic, and most people are unaware of how much is relayed to CARFAX until it comes back to affect them. Be sure to ask your local auto body shop whether they report to CARFAX. You may be able to opt-out of the reporting.

Elmer’s Auto Body believes in transparent and honest service. Our team will be completely upfront with you about what we do and what our services include. If you are looking for a trustworthy collision repair and maintenance shop, then you should call us or fill out the contact form today. We look forward to hearing from you.

How many hallmarks of science fiction (post-1950) are shown in vehicle innovations? For as long as most of us can remember, we’ve seen flying cars, self-driving cars and yes, electric cars as emblems of a more advanced and always forthcoming future. Here at the end of the second decade of this century, we at last find that in fact, all of these things are indeed real.

Self-driving cars make Google headlines daily, and their adoption into mass use is inevitable before this century’s end for sure. Flying cars are also being tested, but are likely to never be something everyone has in their driveway for a host of different reasons.

Where does this leave electric vehicles? Well of course, it’s no secret that electric vehicles not only exist, but have for some time been available on the consumer market. In fact, there have been consumer electric concepts many times over the past several decades, just many weren’t tested or ever known in the US for reasons we’ll get to in a minute.

Pros of Electric Cars

• Environmental: While you’re not emission-free with an electric car (most electricity supplied to charge them is produced by burning fossil fuels), you’re having a much lower impact on the environment with an electric car.
• Less Expensive to Power: Gasoline is ridiculously expensive when you do the math. Yes, electricity isn’t cheap either, but it’s far cheaper than gasoline. This is why gas generators, even in a pre-green society, were never used for more than emergencies. Thus, recharging your electric car will now, and forever, be far cheaper than pouring gas into a tank.
• Cheaper Maintenance: Electric cars are complex, but they have a lot fewer obtuse mechanical parts than a traditional internal combustion engine. The motors, control systems and power supply are remarkable pieces of advanced technology, but they’re longer-lived, and less physically complex to repair, replace and maintain.
• Tax Deductions: The government, after dragging its feet for some time, has taken it upon itself at last, to positively reinforce green practices. In the past, their sole contribution to environmental activism was negative reinforcement through regulation and EPA enforcement. Tax deductions are available when electric vehicles are used, though these vary from state to state.
• Safety: The power supply and electric motors involved in these cars are lighter than an internal combustion engine and gas tank, which means a little bit of this lost weight can be given to reinforcing the integrity of the car. Not all of the weight can be shifted (more on that in a moment), but still. On top of this, there’s nothing severely volatile and combustible present by way of motor oil or gasoline, which means in severe accidents, these are less of an issue or hazard.

Cons of Electric Cars

Now, let’s look at why these benefits haven’t propelled the electric car into the mainstream, and rendered traditional gasoline vehicles obsolete.

• Not Completely Green: We mentioned this in the benefits section, but it merits repeating – you’re still contributing to a carbon footprint if the electricity with which you charge this vehicle was made by burning fossil fuels.
• Range Limitation: This is a problem with batteries really. You can’t get as far on a charge as you can on a tank of gas. This is because battery technology to hold the amount of energy for long journeys, while being light and small enough to be carried on said journey, is a checks and balances challenge not yet overcome.
• Recharging Problems: Recharging is a problem in two ways. One, you need a special charging station for your vehicle, you can’t just plug an extension cord up at a gas station and pay them a fee to do so. These are few and far between in most of the world, outside some major cities. It also takes an absurdly long time to charge, upwards of hours.
• Cost: Of course, because of the niche demand, prices haven’t lowered much on this technology for now, making it more expensive than gas vehicles, as well as less convenient.

The old conspiracy that big oil suppresses electric vehicles is mostly a myth, and while they have a lot of benefits, the limitations for now make them more of a novelty than something ready to be the new norm. To learn more about this and things like it, fill out our contact form today!

Buying a new car can be quite the ordeal, especially if complicated financing is involved with subsequent monthly payments and other transactions fees that are unfamiliar or unknown to a buyer. There are going to be fees added into a contract for a vehicle, and car buyers need to know which ones they should pay.

There are any number of standard fees that are part of a new car contract, so what are some of those basic fees that every car buyer should know about before purchasing a new vehicle?

Vehicle Registration

Vehicle registration fees are determined by the state in which a new car owner resides. The fees include the registration and license plate costs. A registration is a document that indicates legal ownership of a vehicle. Car dealerships take care of this service, so new car customers are spared a visit to the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles). The newer and more expensive the vehicle as well as the weight of the vehicle will determine registration costs.

Sales Tax

This figure can produce sticker shock to many new car buyers. Sales tax varies by the state in which a new vehicle is purchased. In addition, many cities and counties tack on an additional tax along with the state tax. So, the total amount of sales tax paid will depend on where the vehicle is purchased within a state.

Incentives

There are incentives with sales tax, particularly with trade-in situations and the purchase of a new car. If a trade-in sales tax credit is given by a state, a new car buyer is only taxed on the difference between the price of the new car and the trade-in value of the old car. Some states do not allow for the trade-in allowance and the full amount of sales tax will have to be paid on the purchase of the new car.

Rebates and other incentives can lower the price of a vehicle, but many states will still charge sales tax on the purchase price of the vehicle before any rebates are applied. So, a buyer still pays tax on the full price of a vehicle in spite of the rebate.

Documentation Fee

This is one aspect of the fee process that can fluctuate. Car dealerships include charges for documentation (doc fee). The charges are to cover preparation and sales contract filing costs and any other extraneous paperwork. Some states have document fees that are not regulated. One car dealership may sell a buyer a vehicle at a decent price but, at the same time, include a high document fee to offset any customer savings, plus that document fee will likely have a sales tax attached to it. Would-be new car buyers should investigate what dealerships charge for document fees. Any fees that are higher than average for a state should be negotiated to offset the fee.

Document fees definitely affect the new-car buying experience and if a car dealership provides genuine and helpful service, perhaps the document fee won’t be such a sting. Also, if the vehicle purchase price is lower and the dealership is giving a true savings to the customer, there may be a gain there, even with a high document fee.

Other Fees

Other fees attached to a new car buying experience can include dealer fees, advertising fees and environmental fees for laws that concern local environmental rulings.

Dealer fees could arise in the form of dealer preparation and shipping and handling type of charges. Investigate these fees and, if necessary, challenge the fees in contract negotiation with the dealership.

Advertising fees could be listed on the vehicle’s invoice, which is an actual charge by the manufacturer of the car to the dealer; however, some dealerships will include an additional advertising fee within the sales contract itself as a way to offset their own advertising endeavors. In any case, negotiate these dealer fees before entering any contract.

Environmental fees are levied by individual states and are nominal, usually around $40 or less.

Online Fee Calculators

There are online calculators available to determine or estimate fees that relate to buying a new car. DMV websites and other online sites provide calculators for guidance through the fee process and can give a new car buyer an idea of what those fees will entail. They are not exacting, but they do give a general idea as to charges in different states.

There is no doubt that buying a new car is going to involve a fee structure that may be hard to follow or is unclear. If you plan on buying a new car make sure you are prepared for the fees you will face.

Monthly car loan payments today can seem like the mortgage payments of a couple of decades ago, and most average loans for new cars now are around $500 (plus) a month, or more. Consumers today are purchasing new, high-end and larger vehicles that reflect higher sticker prices, which has future new car owners thinking about securing longer vehicle loans. Sometimes those high monthly payments can be a bit much for most any budget, so how long should a car loan be, anyway?

Average Loan Duration

The average car loan period is currently 72 months and it looks as though an 84 month loan duration is in the works. Most loans for new vehicles were originally for 60 months with 72 months following that. Even used car loans can run around the same amount of time (at 72 months) and that is with quite a bit less money being financed for a used vehicle, but it takes that period of time to even pay off a used vehicle.

Credit reporting agencies note that many potential new and used car owners are looking for decent interest rates with manageable monthly payments. A five-year loan can bring a large monthly payment and that is one reason why consumers resort to taking longer loan stretches to afford the cost. In the long run, they end up paying more in interest to pay for a vehicle.

Most financial experts don’t advise assuming a car loan that is longer than six or seven years. There are reasons why a five-year or 60 month loan period is recommended. Here are a few reasons why that amount of time is suggested:

Interest Rates

The length of a loan is going to determine the interest rate, and the longer the loan, the higher the rate will be. The loan will include both the rate of the loan for the number of months/years and any finance charges over that time period.

60 Month Period Loan

Say a car or other type of vehicle is being financed for a 60-month period as opposed to a 72-month period. The average amount financed by a new car owner on a 60-month loan is in the $31,000 range and the rate of interest is round 3.2%, which brings a monthly payment to over $550 and a finance charge of around $2500. This close to $600 a month payment is a hefty bill that could seriously cut into a person’s income, so it is understandable why a new car customer would look to a lengthier loan.

72 Month Loan Period

A loan of 72-months or 6-years is obviously a longer loan period, and such a loan would carry a higher interest rate that would be around 7 percent. The average 31,000 figure for loan backing would lower the payment to a little more than $500. This figure may seem to be one that is workable, but the finance charges to carry the loan would be close to $7,000 during the 6-year duration of the loan. It’ easy to figure out that the is considerably more interest than the 60-month loan.

Used Vehicle Loans

Used cars loans follow somewhat the same pattern, as the average financing today for used car loans is almost $22,000, which would equal out to a payment of almost $400 a month. That looks to be a workable figure, but interest rates are considerably higher for used vehicles. The rate of over 9 percent is somewhat normal, so the finance charges alone would be close to $7,000.

Other Factors

There are other factors to consider with vehicle financing that include:

• The depreciation of a vehicle over a loan period
• The resale value of a vehicle once a loan is complete – (a five-year old vehicle is going to bring a higher value as opposed to a seven-year old vehicle)
• The negative equity- total down payment affects the amount of negative or positive equity in a vehicle

Ways Around Costly Vehicle Financing

There are ways to reduce monthly payments when five, or even seven-year vehicle payments are out of the reach of a person’s budget. Car payment or car affordability calculators are available to any potential vehicle owner. They help car buyers determine what cars and lower payment options are available to them. It’s a simple process and can be found online. All that is necessary is to insert a workable monthly amount and cars in that price range will be made accessible.

Another alternative is purchasing a used vehicle. Though the interest rates are higher, used vehicles are lower in cost, so there is less of a loan to carry and any payments will be lower. It is advisable, however, to always carefully review any terms in the loan to determine if there are added charges and costs in the agreement.

Length of a Car Loan

In terms of how long a car loan should be, reviewing loan terms for five, six and more years is the first step. Shorter terms (even less than five years) are always advisable but what is an affordable monthly payment amount to a car buyer should always be first in determining financing.

Secondly, every contract involving a car loan should be carefully reviewed to determine the exact amount that a car buyer is paying for the vehicle. Other rules that go along with and govern financing include putting down a substantial down payment (20 percent) and keeping any payment around 10 percent of total (monthly) income.

Whether you are shopping for a car loan for a new or used car, and are not sure what is the best financial approach for your budget situation, complete the online contact form and a financial expert will get back to you with the information you need to make an informed decision.

If you have noticed issues with your vehicle’s air conditioning system, you may be able to troubleshoot the problem on your own. Once you think you know what the problem is, you will be better able to explain it to your mechanic when you take it in for repair.

Weak Airflow

There can be many causes for a vehicle air conditioner to experience weak airflow. One cause could be mold or mildew that has accumulated in the evaporator core. This could prevent air from reaching your vents. It could also be as simple as a loose hose, usually a blower hose. If the fan is not blowing at all, your ventilation fan may need to be replaced. Weak airflow could also be caused by core case, blower house or evaporator core seal failure.

Air is Not as Cold

If the air conditioner is not blowing air that is as cold as it used to be, it is important to bring it in for a check as soon as possible. The problem could be a Freon leak, a clogged expansion tube or a refrigerant charging hose. It could also be a failed compressor or compressor clutch, a vacuum leak or damaged condenser or evaporator. A failed blower motor or blower motor resistor can also lead to warmer air from your air conditioner as can a failed switch, fuse, relay, control module, blend door or solenoid. If your air conditioning system has developed a leak, it is considered an open system which could allow moisture to enter the system and damage other parts. For this reason, as soon as you notice the air conditioner is less cool, you need to bring it in for an inspection or you could face very expensive repairs.

Air Starts Cool, then Turns Warm

If your vehicle has a clogged expansion valve, the valve that distrubtes refrigerant to yoru evaporator, it could cause the air conditioner to blow cool air at first before turning warm. This is because refrigerant cannot flow properly with the valve clogged. You may also have a faulty compressor clutch or a blown fuse. This could also indicate a leak which needs to be checked immediately.

Air Conditioner Smells Bad

If you have noticed an unpleasant “gym locker” odor coming from your air conditioner, you may simply need to change your air cabin filter. If the case’s drain is blocked, water may sit in the evaporator and mold can accumulate, leading to the unpleasant smell.

Black Death

One problem that can occur in vehicle air conditioning systems is what is known as Black Death. Although not as gruesome as the plague that killed millions in the 14th century, it is just as deadly to your car’s air conditioning system. Refrigerant in your air conditioner acts as a lubricant, much like oil in your engine when it is running. If the refrigerant breaks down due to leaks or other problems, parts of your air conditioning system can start wearing, sending sharp metal particles throughout the unit. If this should happen, you may need to replace your entire air conditioning unit.

If you are suffering from problems with your air conditioning system after a collision, contact Elmer’s Auto Body today. You can set up an appointment online with the simple query form or give us a call so that we can review your air conditioning system and get you back to riding in comfort.