How important is CarFax?

Just a little info for you future car buyers. CarFax is NOT the end-all be-all. Sometimes it takes up to 6 months for information to get to CarFax, by that time the car has been repaired and you own it. A lot of smaller insurance companies don't share info with the CarFax people, and smaller wrecks don't get reported at all. My very best used car buying advice I can pass on to you is this; either take the car to an independant garage that you trust, or take along a knowledgable person when buying a used car. Get any warranties or promises IN WRITING, signed by someone OTHER than your salesperson, preferabally the sales manager or finance manager. Check out the BBB website on the car lot; if you see 37 PAGES of complaints, DON'T shop there! (I won't say which dealership that was about, but that is a true story; and people kept right on buying from them...crazy!) I'm also not saying CarFax is totally worthless, but please don't rely on it 100%.

IMHO, these are my views, ect ect.