My car was rear-ended, causing a small crack to the rear bumper. The repair was about $5,000 and now my car looks brand new. But when I try to sell it (I’ll sell privately because I’ll get more than if I tried to trade it in at a dealer), what will the vehicle history report show? Will it show that $5,000 claim? And does this mean I’m pretty much stuck losing that money when I sell it, realistically? – Cole, Edmonton
When you’re selling a car that’s been in a crash, it’s easy to feel like you’re on the losing side of history.
But a record of the damage doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll take a hit for that full amount when it’s time to sell.
“I had a Tahoe that I scraped on a parking pillar and had an $1,800 damage claim to repaint the two doors,” said Joe Varkey, vice-president of marketing for Carproof. “If I went to a dealership or a reputable body shop and had it fixed, those doors are as good as new – by no means does it reduce the value of my vehicle by $1,800.”
So what does a vehicle history report from Carproof or Carfax – which have been owned by the same U.S. company since 2015 – actually show? It depends on what they can find.