More than a few times a week we get telephone calls from car buyers who received a ?clean? CarFax report from the dealer from whom they purchased a vehicle. Weeks or months later, the unfortunate buyer learns that the car had been in a prior wreck or, worse, that it may have been bought back by the manufacturer but not ?branded? as a lemon under state law. Many car buyers find themselves in this unfortunate circum-stance, whether they are in New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut or elsewhere in the country. What's our advice?

#1 When buying a car, run your own CarFax report; don't be penny-wise and dollar-foolish by relying on the auto dealer to do the right thing. Many dealers alter reports to make a sale, and proving liability for fraud in a case like this is virtually impossible.

#2 Show the car to a certified mechanic. Most mechanics will gladly inspect vehicles for an hour's fee. Most significant problems with the car will be obvious to a trained eye; don't rely on the dealer's mechanic to provide advice to you.

#3 Check the vehicle's VIN with your state's Registry of Motor Vehicles; many states al-low consumers to search vehicle information free of charge, and many of such searches will reveal lemon law history of the vehicle.

#4 If the vehicle is a recent make and model, visit a dealer for that manufacturer and ask for a Warranty Repair History for the vehicle you are looking to purchase. Most will provide it. The history will show you what work had been done on the vehicle while it was under the manufacturer's warranty.

#5 Finally, use your judgment! Most unscrupulous dealerships will hide, obfuscate, and say anything to make the sale. Do your research before buying your car, and don't count on the dealer to take it back if problems develop - most won't!