What is this CarFax really telling me?

[vjaneczko]

Just looking at a car to buy and have a question about the CarFax report. I know it’ll only show information that is reported, so it’ll never be a true crystal ball into the entire history of a vehicle, but this one got me wondering a bit:

www.carfax.com/VehicleHistory

Specifically, does anyone know what "Corporate Vehicle" means? I'm guessing it wasn't used as a taxi or a delivery car (I'd think the milage would be higher and the maintenance, compared to a Chrysler minivan, would kill a company) and I’d think that if it were associated with a dealer fleet car, there would be gobs of maintenance records. The fact that the only maintenance records is that it’s been at a Midas shop three times is odd, but again, I know not every shop would report their service. I sure hope it’s not running on the original timing belt!

It’s also interesting that it sat at the dealer for nearly a year before someone (“Corporations are people too, my friend.” HA) registered it, so the mileage averages more like 19K a year instead of 17K.

Plus, “Registration updated when owner moved the vehicle to a new location” three times in five years. That seems odd, too, but probably not be related to the car itself.

I’m still tempted to take a look at it but the report is making me cautious. Thoughts?

[jimmy57]

It very likely was one of two things: It was leased originally and bought by the lessee or it was purchased and registered to someone who has a business where the license plate class categorized it as corporate by the state. This could be a Dr's wife's car and the doctor's professional corp bought the car for advantageous depreciation reasons. Momma may go in a do insurance billings one day per week and get a company car.
When I worked at a dealer years ago loads of BMW's and Volvo's I got repair orders for would be for "Anytown USA Emergency Medical Associates" and other similar kinds of things.

[Ozark Lee]

Corporate vehicle simply means that it was owned by a corporation. In all likelihood it was a "Company Car" that was a perk for an executive. It could have been a Taxi, they could have used it to haul cattle, it could be about anything but the mileage suggests that it was not a Taxi and there are vehicles that are much better suited to be cattle haulers.

Corporations grow or downsize all the time and thus moving the offices from one location to another is not uncommon. I wouldn't read anything into that beyond that the location of the company changed which really doesn't have anything to do with the car itself.

The downside to a corporate car is that there typically isn't anyone, beyond the employee who doesn't own the car, that watches things like maintenance schedules. When I was working at radio stations the company vans were notorious for getting the wheels driven off of them and destroyed due to a lack of maintenance. The kids that set up remote broadcast just got into them and so long as the van started, they were good to go. I drove one of the newer ones and the tie rods and ball joints were do bad that you didn't really drive the car, you aimed it. That van had less than 50,000 miles on it but it had never been in for so much as an oil change, much less greasing any of the joints.

...Lee

[xHeart]

It is a right start.
You could also reach out to a service associate at the original/last dealership for additional insight. Think about people NOT car when talking to he/she. Be a parent, that you are - kind at heart but cautious.

A corporate leased vehicle must adhere to maintenance schedule, even if it was at a rental organization such as AVIS.

I wonder what happens to a "car and its value" when the warranty period on its component expires.