by Alice
A couple of weeks ago, we tried out the new mobile phone app by CarFax. Now, not only can you instantly do a background check (for free) on any prospective auto purchase, you can keep track of all of your cars in your virtual ‘garage’, including their maintenance schedules, your favorite shops, their estimated repair costs, and your pet names for them.
After you download the app for either your Android or Apple device, you will get a screen giving you the option to find a vehicle based on the VIN, the license plate number, or the QR code.
Once you have entered either one, the app will have you confirm the car you are looking for.
In this case, we were looking at a used 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport that we just got in on trade. Of course, we named it ‘My Precious’. You are free change that name if you decide to make it yours. But we may judge you for it.
You can also upload a photo of your car.
In addition, the app will estimate your car’s mileage. You can manually change it, and the app will then continue to estimate it based upon your driving habits.
You can then go to the Dashboard, which will tell you when the car was last serviced and when it will next be due for service. My Precious is up to date on all of her shots, and her new owner won’t have to worry about a thing for at least another 5 months.
If you want an overview of the Maintenance Schedule, you can look up what is recommended based upon the car’s mileage.
For more detailed information on your car’s past, including any accident repairs, you can check out the Service History tab.
You can then search for Service Shops in your area and choose a favorite.
And, before you head out, you can estimate future Repair Costs based on past service visits so that there’s no big surprises when you get there. My Precious has a squeaky-clean past, so there are currently no estimates available.
You can keep multiple cars in your ‘garage’ and will receive notices for each one when service is due. Finally, you can also delete a car and move on if you find that it has too many ghosts in its past.
Overall, we give the CarFax app two thumbs up!