falsified VIN

[wilsonp]

So, now that I am convinved my VIN is falsified, does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do?

My goals would be:
1. Keeping the car - it my only one, and I don't want to have to find another NSX right now...
2. Finding the original VIN - so I can get original mileage, service records, year and maybe TSBs
3. punishing whoever did it - so they don't do it to others

 

[NSX TT]

Originally posted by wilsonp:
So, now that I am convinved my VIN is falsified, does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do?

I'm sorry,but what happened?

 

[Jimbo]

How did you convince yourself that your VIN was falsified?

If I were in that situation I would collect as much info as possible and get a lawyer and bring legal action against those who did this.

You obviously have damages and you should be compensated accordingly.

-Jim

------------------
1992 NSX Red/Blk 5 spd #0330
1991 NSX Blk/Blk Auto #3070 (Sold)
1974 Vette 454 4 spd Wht/Blk
http://homepage.mac.com/jimanders/PhotoAlbum1.html

 

[robr]

you cant come out with a post like that and not tell us what the story is!!!

 

[Vytas]

There should be VIN numbers stamped on the car's body. While detailing my engine, I looked towards the back of the engine compartment on the trunk side and saw the car's VIN number stamped into the aluminum. I'm sure there's one stamped in the front compartment under the hood somewhere as well.

Vytas

 

[nsxtasy]

As noted here, wilsonp's car is an automatic but has a VIN for a manual transmission car. Hey! I beat the Forums Nazi to the punch!

Originally posted by Vytas:
There should be VIN numbers stamped on the car's body.

Normally, it appears in numerous places. Some places are noted in the service manual.* Others are hidden and used by law enforcement to assist as evidence in theft cases.

*According to the table of contents for section 1 of the service manual, the locations of the VIN should be on page 1-4. Unfortunately, this page is missing from the NSXprime version of the service manual. Perhaps someone with a hard copy handy can tell us where they are located.

[This message has been edited by nsxtasy (edited 02 August 2002).]

 

[nsxman]

Looks like something is rotten in Danville.

Per the manual, there are three VIN locations, windshield, driver's door, and engine compartment as noted by vytas.

The windshield plate should be engraved. The font used on wilsonp's plate is different from factory and the plate does not look like it has been engraved. The nine should have a vertical stroke not a curved one.

A serious accident to the driver's side may be a possibility and the VIN plates were reproduced incorrectly. Keep digging. Good luck. If there has been fraud, it is a criminal matter.

 

[sjs]

My worst fear is not that it was once wrecked (that's plenty bad enough) but that the automatic from which they took the VIN was totaled and his was stolen. I'm not sure how it works from state to state or interstate, but I'd hate to see you lose it with no recourse. You might check your insurance policy (discretely) to see if they cover such an eventuality.

Either way, a very bad deal. You have my sincere sympathy.

 

[BostonNSX]

After so many post ups regarding the incorrect VIN. Can somebody explain about
Why someone would want to falsify a VIN
What advantages or points are there to make people doing that?

 

[BadCarma]

Can somebody explain about
Why someone would want to falsify a VIN
What advantages or points are there to make people doing that?[/B]

It might have something to do with the guys with a backpack containing a slimjim, 'key' gun. wire clippers ,security alarm bypass jumper,frequency sniffer,a sevice manual for (insert target car here),and a monster array of other high tech goodies you can buy on the gray market these days.there not stealing your nsx for the stereo thats for sure.and of course they do want to sell it if not stripped so having that stolen vin on there might be embarrassing at the dmv
David

PS my friend 'had' a very nice car.he had every security product made.A SUPER ALARM and even the club.every time we would go somewhere in his car it took forever for him to go thru his security ritual.wonder how long it took the guy that stole it..never to be seen again.BOO!(hey..that would make a great camp fire horror story for nsx owners

david

 

[Tony Montoya]

I'm sorry if we didn't stress enough to you Wilson to NOT buy this car. We did state that the VIN was from an automatic which means your car is dodgy. How insurance companies and law enforcement is so stupid is beyond me. I guess they don't really care. If I was you I would never mention the VIN again. Good luck.

 

[Tony Montoya]

Originally posted by Jimbo:
How did you convince yourself that your VIN was falsified?

If I were in that situation I would collect as much info as possible and get a lawyer and bring legal action against those who did this.

You obviously have damages and you should be compensated accordingly.

-Jim

I wouldn't do this as there is a chance the car will be taken away.

 

[(NSX REY)]

http://www.centralcoastweb.com/nsxb/pages/mainframe.html

 

[(NSX REY)]

Oops! After posting, I checked how the link would function. The link takes you to the main page..sorry. Once on the main page,go to NSX REFERENCES scroll down to REPAIRS and look at ENGINE and TRANSMISSION NUMBERS.

 

[wilsonp]

Originally posted by Jimbo:
How did you convince yourself that your VIN was falsified?

Cumulatively...

1. Manual '93 VIN for automatic, but...
2. No airbag
3. DOHC label and single compartment console
4. R134a modification sticker over radiator in front
5. Cell phone manual had last digit of year torn out, 3 written in ballpoint on cover page behind
6. Shows sign of a major (?) accident not reflected in carfax: lots of repaint, hood and trunk alignment off

 

[wilsonp]

Originally posted by Tony Montoya:
I'm sorry if we didn't stress enough to you Wilson to NOT buy this car.

Ah but I couldn't pass up the sunroof

 

[wilsonp]

Originally posted by NSX2B:
Oops! After posting, I checked how the link would function. The link takes you to the main page..sorry. Once on the main page,go to NSX REFERENCES scroll down to REPAIRS and look at ENGINE and TRANSMISSION NUMBERS.

Ummm... Maybe I'm blind, but I don't see NSX References?

 

[nsxtasy]

Then I'm blind too.

 

[robr]

#6 is a silly reason, i dont think i've ever seen an accident reported in carfax . friggin thing is useless.

back when it was free i ran at least 12 vehicle VINs that i know were in accidents over a period of 10 years or so and all of them came up clean. yes, i understand why, i just don't understand how they are in business and why people continue to think that they will find info in carfax on vehicle accidents. carfax really needs to start pulling info from insurance companies or.... what I can envision happening, is insurance companies starting up a carfax competitor.

 

[sjs]

I have many times seen accidents and other damage listed in CarFax, sometimes even multiple for the same car. Obviously it should be used as just one source of additional data, not as certification of a clean bill of health.

 

[nsxtasy]

sjs, I've never seen accidents and other damage listed in Carfax. I thought Carfax collects public information from government, not private information from insurance companies; that means that title changes such as salvage and theft titles usually (unfortunately, not always, but often) make their way into the Carfax records. But I thought that if you have an accident, and the insurance company pays to have it repaired, there's no reason for it to show up in a Carfax report... no?

 

[bayareansx1999]

wilsonp,


where did you purchase your car from?? if the vin# on your car was truly messed with.. you got a major lawsuit in your hands.

 

[sjs]

Originally posted by nsxtasy:
sjs, I've never seen accidents and other damage listed in Carfax. I thought Carfax collects public information from government, not private information from insurance companies; that means that title changes such as salvage and theft titles usually (unfortunately, not always, but often) make their way into the Carfax records. But I thought that if you have an accident, and the insurance company pays to have it repaired, there's no reason for it to show up in a Carfax report... no?

It probably varies by state or even community, just like reporting pass/fail of emmissions tests that show from some states. Below is an example of a 300ZX with not one but two accidents.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sect.# Section Name Section Results
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1 Vehicle Specifications JN1CZ24H2MX504967 1991 Nissan 300ZX
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Title Check Clean Title History Guaranteed
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 Odometer Rollback Check No Odometer Rollback Detected
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 Problem Check 1 Problem Found
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 Registration Check Checked 7 types of vehicle registrations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 Vehicle History Details 10 Total Vehicle History Records Found

Blah, blah, blah...


Vehicle ID: JN1CZ24H2MX504967
Yr/Mfg: 1991 Nissan 300ZX
Model: 300ZX
Body: 2D Cpe. 2-seat car
Engine: 3.0L V6 Turbo
Fuel: Gasoline
Driveline: Rear-wheel drive
Aspiration: Turbocharged
Country Mfg.: Japan

...

Problems Checked: Results:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~
Salvage/Junk Title------------------- Checked - No Problem Found.
Rebuilt/Reconstructed Title---------- Checked - No Problem Found.
Flood Damage Title------------------- Checked - No Problem Found.
Damage Disclosure-------------------- Checked - No Problem Found.
Manufacturer Buyback (LEMON)--------- Checked - No Problem Found.
Exceeds Mechanical Limits Title------ Checked - No Problem Found.
Not Actual Mileage Title------------- Checked - No Problem Found.

...

------------------------------------------------------
Date: 10/20/1999
Information Source:
Florida Motor Vehicle Dept.
Naples, FL
Title #68641774
General Comments:
Title issued
------------------------------------------------------
Date: 12/14/1999
Information Source:
Florida Police Report
Case #567144010
General Comments:
Accident Reported Involving a front
impact or collision
------------------------------------------------------
Date: 06/11/2000
Information Source:
Florida Police Report
Case #531183730
General Comments:
Accident Reported Involving left
side impact with a fence
------------------------------------------------------
...

Of course, the guy denied any knowledge of accidents.

 

[nsxtasy]

Oh yeah! I forgot that police reports are sometimes (not always, but sometimes) filed for accidents. As I mentioned, these are government reports, which is where Carfax gets the information.

My guess is that there are some states and cities where police reports are fed electronically into the state's DMV records, but that in most others, they are not. This would account for the vast majority of accidents not showing up on Carfax. Of course, if an accident is only reported to the insurance company(ies) without filing a police report, it would never show up on Carfax.

My general opinion is that a negative Carfax report provides very useful information. A clean Carfax does not guarantee a clean car; it only narrows the odds a bit, and should be viewed in that light.