An actual Conspiracy!! Watch out!!

Now, this is not world-ending, but it is a conspiracy...actually, yeah, it kind of is world-ending. Here's why...

Today I received an unsolicited email from CARFAX. I am not a member of CARFAX, nor have I ever been a member.

The email said my car was overdue for an oil change, and it showed as an "Alert". AND, it said this "alert" would be shown in my CARFAX report, which of course they wanted me to subscribe to. Sure, marketing gimmick right? We see these all the time. BUT...this one was different.

In the header of the email it had my car...make, model and year. Okay, no biggie. BUT, then it also had the miles on my car..."as of today" !!!!!

It said my mileage was 108,759..."as of today". This struck me, because it was pretty Gawd damned close! 'As of today'?????? How could they know this???

Okay, so I went and checked the mileage on my car. It was 107,903. Lucky guess, right? Nope!! There's more...

I went back and checked my oil change log. My last change was 105,759. BUT, you don't change the synthetic oil in a Subaru until 7,500 miles. However, oil change places like Grease Monkey say you need to change them at 3,000 miles. (105,759+3,000="108,759" exactly!) SO...Grease Monkey must be selling CARFAX oil change information, and CARFAX is using this information to extort money out of YOU to remove an "alert" from your car record (cuz that's they only way you can) by being a member!!!

All this connectivity is SCAMMING us!!

Normally I'm early at work, sometimes I do a quick search on somebody else's PC, something like "blow up doll" on google.....guess what advertising he gets later on while surfing....

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk
yah.....I kinda think it may have something to do with their access to VIN numbers, though I'm sure you know that already.
regards
youknowwho

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

There's literally more money being made off of you than what you buy and/or consume.

Big data, big marketing.


We are the commodity.

No conspiracy, they (grease monkey) enters your data into a database for future reference the next time you come in for service, you probably had to sign some “permission” to allow them change your oil, in very fine print with a thousand words probably said something that you give them permission to share your information to third source party’s.
Edit I don’t think I’d worry about the car fax alert scam. They only get a report when you take the car into service at a dealer, and that only reports what was done, ie oil change, wiper replacement, recall, etc. it gives a future buyer what was done at the shop, It doesn’t give lack of oil changes, because most people like myself change their own oil.

Where is the scam? I have mycarfax.com. It doesn't cost me anything. It keeps track of oil changes, service, recalls, etc. Every time I have one of my cars serviced it sends me a "How do you rate this service" questionnaire. It even tells me when my car tabs are due. I can add or remove any car from my "My Garage" section at any time. I can answer their questionnaire or not. They are getting ZERO money from me. I don't see where the scam is myself.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I don't think it is a scam on the face of it,
they obviously use a database of some sort.

However, you could have a read at this, then ask yourself is it good advice, or is it yet another 'deal' between, in this case an automotive site, and perhaps Carfax as well as Grease Monkey,
allwheeldriveauto.com...

Thing is, the automotive site goes further, and gives the claim that you should change your oil 4 times a year, (maybe you do that anyway) on the proposal that oil protection is degrading pretty much all the time, as well as other factors in servicing like oil filter, fuel/oil mixing remedy etc: to make the bang healthy, as well as the wear and tear, have a read anyway. up:

a reply to: smurfy

No, here's the deal...an "alert" (red) on your CARFAX gives a customer a way to 'jew you down' on the sale of your car!

I don't deal with CARFAX...(because they LIE...longer story)

So, now, I HAVE to deal with them because in order to remove this "alert" off my CARFAX record, when I'm NOT even a CARFAX member, I have to pay their fee to do it! It's extortion! Don't you see????

Oh, and BTW...my car has been maintained perfectly, AT THE DEALERSHIP, since I bought it!!

This is EXTORTION!!!

Class Action Suit...here we come!!!

I had a guy wreck into the backend of my brand new (2 week old) Honda Accord at 50mph with a Cadillac Seville! Totaled my car...pushed the trunk under the back seats! Four law enforcement agencies showed up, including the State Police. Multiple reports were filed. A Doctor hit me (and no, I didn't sue, though I could have).

The insurance company "totaled" my car and sold it to a junk yard.

CARFAX showed my car as "no wrecks", "clean title" and it was sold in a different state (Ohio) as a new car with "low miles"!!

Seriously!!!!

That car was totaled! The roof and floor pan were buckled nearly 8"! The sunroof was shattered, the back doors were completely jammed shut, the driver's seat was broken and my knee went through the dashboard!! This car was completely destroyed!!....and CARFAX said it was "brand new!" LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!

CARFAX is EVIL!!!

CARFAX SUX!!!

a reply to: schuyler

THAT's where the scam is, sir!

You can believe me or not, but I have PROOF, pictures and everything else!!

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
a reply to: schuyler

THAT's where the scam is, sir! You can believe me or not, but I have PROOF, pictures and everything else!!

That's much different than what you originally claimed and has more to do with the insurance company. The only thing Carfax could do to potentially "hurt" me is report an accident to the car that resulted in "diminished value." which is absolutely true. If that were to happen I could submit a claim for such to the insurance company to compensate. CarFax is not going to claim diminished value based on lack of oil changes. If a car is especially valuable to you (such as an antique) you can buy a "declared value" policy that fixes the value of the car at a given price. This circumvents the NADA/Kelly Blue Book price estimates for used cars. CarFax reporting can hurt dealers far more than consumers because of their accumulation of consumer reports on dealers' behavior.

The fact is you need not pay ANY money to CarFax. You can also edit and change services if they haven't got the message without a "paid for" account. It is simply not true that you have to pay them before you can edit your record. You can also "change the interval," for example. If it says I need an oil change at 3,000 miles, I can change that to 7500 miles with a couple of clicks. Mine already says 7500 because I use synthetic oil, Mobil 1. It's really not an issue.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I'm a car salesman at one of the largest volume Subaru dealers in the nation. I can tell you that "missing" service records on the Carfax on trade-ins don't mean much. Everybody knows many shops don't report to Carfax, and obviously those who change their own oil don't report either.

Most states sell vehicle registration data (that's where the obnoxious aftermarket warranty calls and mail come from.) The mileage is likely just the estimated time to the 3000 miles Grease Monkey set as your service interval, as you deduced.

I will say, we are willing to pay more for a vehicle regularly serviced at the dealer, especially if proper recommended services are done (not just oil changes.)

Starlink (Subaru's Telematics) does not share data with others, so the only ones who can get mileage, etc., from your car is Subaru and the owner (if you utilize the Starlink subscription service.)

While I wouldn't say it negatively impacts value, places like Jiffy Lube don't really do a car any favors, as oil should be drained for a bare minimum 30 minutes, preferably 45. What happens with quick lube places is every time, the worst stuff is left behind.

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
I had a guy wreck into the backend of my brand new (2 week old) Honda Accord at 50mph with a Cadillac Seville! Totaled my car...pushed the trunk under the back seats! Four law enforcement agencies showed up, including the State Police. Multiple reports were filed. A Doctor hit me (and no, I didn't sue, though I could have).

The insurance company "totaled" my car and sold it to a junk yard.

CARFAX showed my car as "no wrecks", "clean title" and it was sold in a different state (Ohio) as a new car with "low miles"!!

Seriously!!!!

That car was totaled! The roof and floor pan were buckled nearly 8"! The sunroof was shattered, the back doors were completely jammed shut, the driver's seat was broken and my knee went through the dashboard!! This car was completely destroyed!!....and CARFAX said it was "brand new!" LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!

CARFAX is EVIL!!!

CARFAX SUX!!!

Sounds like cut and shut job on the Honda, that's highly dangerous and illegal here, or at least in the main...the job has to be done a standard, and mostly it isn't.

originally posted by: dogstar23
Starlink (Subaru's Telematics) does not share data with others, so the only ones who can get mileage, etc., from your car is Subaru and the owner (if you utilize the Starlink subscription service.)

Thanks for typing that out. I own a Toyota. I get weirdly accurate notifications like FCD described.

Makes me wonder.

a reply to: schuyler

I will have to look into this. That's not how it used to be. Honestly havent looked in a while.

a reply to: dogstar23

Must be grease monkey then. GM to Carfax.

Every time some business I buy from wants to sign me up for a "rewards" program, I say no thanks, the employees are(usually gen Y and Z) I try to explain that I'm not interested in my information being bought and sold..I'M NOT THE PRODUCT HERE!

They just don't get it..think I'm nuts(probably right, but not on this) Usually a fellow customer will nod to me in agreement.

We are not the product!!

originally posted by: dogstar23
a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Most states sell vehicle registration data (that's where the obnoxious aftermarket warranty calls and mail come from.) The mileage is likely just the estimated time to the 3000 miles Grease Monkey set as your service interval, as you deduced.

I wondered about that. I am getting CONSTANT calls like that for my 2007 Silverado that has been out of warranty for ten years. As soon as I tell them my car has been out of warranty for a decade, they hang up.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk
I got one of those like that once but the mileage was WAY OFF.
Maybe because I do my own oil changes.

Omg something in manmade society is weird?! Call the #ing titans!