A used car can look perfect under the lights and still come with a past you did not sign up for. We bring in Patrick Olsen, editor-in-chief at Carfax, to break down what a Carfax vehicle history report actually reveals, why “Show me the Carfax” became shorthand for transparency, and how shoppers can use VIN-based data to negotiate with confidence.
We talk about the real-world mechanics behind vehicle history reporting: what service shops and dealerships share, why DIY maintenance and small repairs can create gaps, and how the free Carfax Car Care app lets owners track maintenance and get recall alerts. Patrick also explains newer tools that go beyond the past, including history-based values, reliability predictions for specific vehicles, and dependability research that shows how many models survive to 150,000 miles, 200,000 miles, and even 20 years on the road. If you’re comparing a regular used car to a certified pre-owned vehicle, we dig into why “CPO” can mean different things depending on the automaker and the dealer, and why documentation is everything.
Then we shift gears: Jeff shares wild global car facts in Motor Minute, and Don delivers a detailed review of the 2025 Land Rover Range Rover plug-in hybrid, covering design, interior simplicity, power, ride quality, pricing, and key competitors like the BMW X5 PHEV and Mercedes GLE PHEV.
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