sometimes they miss stuff like accidents or flood damage
Yeah, that’s the part that bugs me. Those sites are fine for a ballpark, but I’ve seen cars listed as “clean” that turned out to be underwater—literally. VIN check is non-negotiable for me now. Price-checkers are just a starting point... not the finish line. Too many folks get burned trusting them alone.
VIN check is non-negotiable for me now. Price-checkers are just a starting point... not the finish line.
Couldn’t agree more with this. Here’s my routine, for what it’s worth:
Step 1, I’ll use those price-checkers to get a rough idea—like, “okay, this isn’t wildly overpriced.”
Step 2, I always run the VIN through at least two different services. Sometimes one will catch something the other misses, which is wild but true.
Step 3, if I’m still interested, I’ll crawl under the car (literally, sometimes in my nice jeans—never learn) and look for rust or weird water marks. A friend once found sand in the trunk carpet... in a car from Kansas. That was a fun conversation with the seller.
Honestly, I treat those price sites like a weather app. Useful, but not gospel. If you’re buying used, trust but verify. And maybe bring a flashlight and a healthy dose of skepticism.
