carfax is NOT reliable, I was going to buy a almost new B one time ran carfax came up clean. took the vin to a chrysler dealer he ran it, the B was wrecked and had other serious things done to it it, motor and tranny work. only 18k on the rv, carfax showed NO ISSUE.S.
CREATO wrote: In the States if you have the title it is lien free.
Nope. In California, the registered owner gets a title that has their name and address as the registered owner and the name and address of the lienholder (if any) is listed below the registered owner's info. When it's paid off, you get a notarized release from the lienholder, take that to the DMV, pay $15, and get a new title in the mail that doesn't include the lienholder.