📜 Carfax Pull — proof of concept
"You'd know what they fixed. You'd know what they broke." — Papa
🔎 Mock lookup — VIN 1FTRX12W08FA12345
Sarah Jenkins's '08 F-150 (from our shop DB). Showing what a real Carfax/NMVTIS pull would return alongside our internal history.
🚗 Vehicle facts (from VIN decode — FREE via NHTSA vPIC)
| Year / Make / Model | 2008 Ford F-150 XLT |
| Engine | 5.4L V8 SOHC 3V (Triton) |
| Transmission | 4R75W 4-speed automatic |
| Plant | Norfolk, VA (USA) |
| Original spec MSRP | ~$28,400 |
| Recalls open | ⚠ 1 open 12V025 Stop Lamp Switch (free at any Ford dealer) |
| Recalls closed | 4 (door latch, cruise, airbag, fuel pump driver) |
This block is 100% FREE — comes from NHTSA's open vPIC API. We pull it on every VIN lookup automatically.
📜 Service history (Carfax-style)
Transmission rebuild — 4R75W internal harness replaced. Solved P0755 + P0758. Hot-fluid flush w/ GTECH TTCF-6. $3,450. Tech: Mike. Mileage: 138,200.
Brake service — front pads + rotors. $680. Tech: Irwin. Mileage: 134,800.
"Trans flush" performed at McCaysville Auto Care. ⚠ Likely chemical flush, not hot-fluid — preceded our internal-harness rebuild 10 months later. Mileage: 131,500.
Oil change + tire rotation. $95. Tech: Jordan. Mileage: 128,400.
O2 sensor replaced at Lou's Quick Lube. ⚠ Check fix quality — was it the part or the ground? AutoZone code = circuit, not part. (Mike's teaching) Mileage: 112,300.
Front-end collision repair at Charlotte Body. New hood, bumper, R/F fender. Mileage: 89,400. ⚠ Watch for crash-related electrical gremlins downstream.
Vehicle re-titled (sale to current owner). Prior history in Michigan: ~70k miles, clean.
🧠 What Mike sees AT A GLANCE before he picks up a tool
- "We already rebuilt this trans in 2024 — should still be under our 12mo/12k warranty if customer is here for trans" ✅
- "Someone else did a 'flush' before us in 2023 — chemical, not hot. Probably WHY the internal harness failed early." 🟡
- "O2 replaced in 2022 by quick-lube. If a new O2 code shows up, check the GROUND first — might have been the cause then too." 🟡
- "Front-end collision in 2020. If there's anything electrical acting weird, suspect crash-damaged wiring before chasing the symptom." 🟡
- "1 open recall — free at Ford. Tell customer." 🟢
That's 5 minutes of context Mike would otherwise spend an hour earning.
💰 API options (real, today)
VIN decode, recalls, original spec. No registration needed. ✅ Wire this in next round — zero risk.
Title history, junk/salvage flags, odometer. Less detail than Carfax but cheap. Good for pre-purchase inspections we sell to used-car lots.
Built for shops. Per-VIN pricing. Includes service history from participating shops, recalls, accident data. Carfax also PAYS Mike to REPORT. Net: usually positive.
Competitor to Carfax. Cheaper but less shop-friendly history. Good fallback / second source.
Mike reports → gets inbound leads from Carfax's "find a shop" directory. Net positive at his volume.