Buyers interested in used cars in New Jersey may know that online research can help them make the right decision about their next auto purchase, but the history reports offered by some websites may not be completely accurate.

Consumer Reports asked for vehicle history reports from a number of online providers for vehicles they knew had significant body damage based on owner interviews and photos provided to the non-profit.

They say that clean reports came back from many of the providers, either because damage may not have been reported to an insurance company, or was used by a rental company.

To ensure that buying a used car in New Jersey doesn’t mean picking up a lemon, they say that going over the car in person with a mechanic can help pick up evidence of paint overspray or other tell-tale signs of extensive body work that could lead to further problems down the road.

“Many dealerships provide free history reports to consumers,” said Anthony Giorgianni, Consumer Reports associate editor. “The reports provide useful information. But it’s what they can miss that should worry you.”

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