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What a Clean Carfax Doesn't Catch
Picture a mid-size SUV on a lot off US-29. Clean history report, spotless interior, priced right. Here's the kind of thing an inspection finds that a Carfax never will.
What looked fine
Cold start was smooth. Tires matched. No codes stored. Paint gauge showed no bodywork.
What didn't
A coolant reservoir slightly low, and coolant that's suspiciously fresh on a car with no service records. A chemical block test shows exhaust gas in the coolant — an early head gasket failure the seller either doesn't know about or isn't mentioning. Cleared codes and incomplete readiness monitors usually mean the second.
The result
The buyer walks, or negotiates the price down by the cost of the repair. Either way, the inspection fee is a fraction of the engine work they'd have been facing a month later.
Related services
We do this in your driveway
- Diagnostics & Inspections
Pre-Purchase Inspection
We inspect the used car wherever it's parked — before you buy it — and tell you what the seller didn't.
- Cooling & Climate
Overheating & Cooling System Repair
Radiators, hoses, thermostats, fans, and leaks — diagnosed and fixed before the head gasket goes.
Ready when you are.
Text or call with your vehicle and what's going on. We'll confirm a window and bring the parts.