
Does CARFAX Show Side Mirror Replacement? What a New Mirror Can Hide
A side mirror usually gets replaced out of pocket, so the report stays quiet. Check the glass, the blind-spot light, the camera, and the door paint before you buy.

A side mirror usually gets replaced out of pocket, so the report stays quiet. Check the glass, the blind-spot light, the camera, and the door paint before you buy.

A trunk lid bolts on, so a swap can be minor or the tip of a rear collision. Check paint, gaps, hinges, the latch, and the trunk floor before you buy.

Tailgates bolt on, get stolen, and get backed into posts, so a replacement can mean almost anything. Check the paint code, hinges, camera, and bed rails.

Quarter panels are welded into the body, so replacing one is structural work. The report may say "damage reported" or nothing at all, so check the seams and trunk.

Front fenders bolt on, so swaps often never reach a history report. Bolt heads, gaps, and the quarter panels tell you how serious the hit was.

Hood swaps after front-end hits often never reach a history report. Paint, hinge bolts, and the radiator support usually tell you more.

Door swaps after side impacts often never reach a history report. Paint, bolts, and seals on the car itself usually tell you more.

A bulb or housing swap almost never lands on a history report. A mismatched headlight can still be the best clue you get about an unreported front-end crash.

Most cash dent repairs and paintless dent removal jobs never reach a history report. Here's what does show up and how to spot old dent work yourself.

A rear main seal leak can mean a $1,000-plus repair because the transmission has to come out. Here's what a history report shows and what you check yourself.