Carvestigate
Check Common Car Issues by Model Before You Buy
Carvestigate Overview
Carvestigate is a specialized tool designed to help car buyers and owners quickly identify common issues and factory defects associated with specific car models. The platform aggregates data on mechanical problems across various vehicle sub-systems, providing severity assessments, repair cost estimates, and actionable recommendations. By centralizing this information, Carvestigate eliminates the need for extensive online research across multiple sources. The tool serves both individual consumers researching potential car purchases and current owners monitoring their vehicle's known issues. With its intuitive search interface and detailed problem categorization, Carvestigate aims to make car ownership more transparent and informed decisions easier.
Carvestigate Screenshot
Carvestigate Official screenshot of the tool interface
Carvestigate Core Features
Comprehensive Car Issue Database
Carvestigate maintains an extensive database covering 2,880 cars, 831 unique models, and over 60,000 reported issues. The database is constantly updated with new problem reports and technical information, organized by vehicle subsystems including engine, transmission, fuel system, cooling system, brakes, suspension, electrical systems, and body components.
Severity Rating System
Each identified issue is classified by severity level (Critical, Moderate, Minor) to help users prioritize concerns. Critical ratings indicate problems that could lead to catastrophic failure or safety risks, while moderate and minor ratings help users understand less urgent but still important maintenance considerations.
Repair Cost Estimates
The tool provides approximate repair costs for identified issues, helping users budget for potential expenses. These estimates consider both parts and labor costs, giving a realistic picture of what to expect when addressing common problems with specific models.
Actionable Recommendations
For each identified issue, Carvestigate suggests next steps - whether immediate repair is necessary, if the problem can be monitored, or if it should factor into purchase negotiations. These recommendations help users make informed decisions about vehicle maintenance and purchases.
Model-Specific Search
Users can search issues by precise vehicle specifications including brand, model, manufacture year, and engine type. This granular search capability ensures results are highly relevant to the exact vehicle being researched.
Carvestigate Use Cases
Pre-Purchase Research
A buyer considering a used 2015 Acura CDX uses Carvestigate to discover known timing chain issues with the 1.5L turbo engine. The critical severity rating and $1,150 estimated repair cost help them either negotiate a lower price or reconsider the purchase entirely.
Ownership Maintenance Planning
A current vehicle owner researches their 2018 model to proactively address common cooling system problems before they lead to more expensive engine damage, scheduling preventative maintenance based on the platform's recommendations.
Mechanic Consultation Preparation
Before visiting a mechanic, a car owner uses Carvestigate to identify likely causes for their vehicle's symptoms, arriving at the shop better informed about potential issues and estimated repair costs for more productive discussions.
How to Use Carvestigate
Select the vehicle details using the search interface - choose the brand from the extensive dropdown list (over 100 brands available), then select the specific model and year of manufacture. Optionally, you can narrow results further by selecting the engine type if known.
Click 'Search Issues' to process your query. The system will scan the database for all reported issues matching your selected vehicle parameters. During peak times, this search might take a few moments as it compiles comprehensive results.
Review the categorized results organized by vehicle subsystems (engine, transmission, etc.). Each category shows how many issues were found, allowing you to quickly identify problem areas for the specific model you're researching.
Click on any category to view detailed information about specific issues. Each entry includes severity rating, problem description, symptoms to watch for, estimated repair cost, and recommended action.
Use the gathered information to inform your car purchase decision or maintenance plan. Critical issues might warrant reconsidering a purchase, while less severe problems could simply inform your maintenance budgeting.