My Cars History

[Guest thug23]

Is there such a place where I can submit my cars vin# or ID numbers to find out the previous owners and different locations its been registered etc.

Thank you for any info you can provide that may help me out.

[alsancle]

That would be "no". Each state has individual registration records and in the past some would provide history for a fee. Privacy laws have more or less ended that practice.

[Guest thug23]

I figured so much but I was hoping with technology today I may have a shot...Thanks for your help.

[Barry Wolk]

It would help to know the year and make of the car. Certain cars have Registries that keep track of serial numbers.

Most DMVs only keep records for 10 years, or less.

[Dandy Dave]

You need to be lucky enough to buy a car from someone that has retained the history and pass it on to you. Or, in my case with my 1957 Dodge pick up, be lucky enough to have a business painted on the door and folks who remember it. Sometimes the history is more fun than the vehicle. My pick up was traded in for a VW pick up back in the late 60's at Colonial VW in Hudson NY. Was bought by a Salesmen and sat in his back yard for many years. I stumbled on it and told a neighbor about it who was scraping at the time. It would have been about 1978. Went with him to get it for a ride to the shedder in Albany NY and on the way home decided that I wanted it. He got me to shovel out a basement in an old house that he bought for back taxes. The basement had a broken sewer line and it was early enough in the spring that the stuff was frozen. When I finised the job, He gave me the truck. I was around 16 at the time. And painted on the Door, "The Delwood Hotel" Playground of the Catskills. Purling NY. :cool: Dandy Dave!

[keiser31]

It sometimes depends on the type/make/year car you are talking about, as Barry stated. Some cars just stand out and other people can spot them. If there are certain features that are unique to your old car or things that were done to it that you can recognize, someone may know the car and where it is. For instance there is a guy on the Dodge Brothers forum who has a car that was sold out of the Lemay collection in Washington. He needed information about it and "poof"...someone came up with a photo of it from when it was in the collection. I don't think the guy had any idea as to it's history.

[Paul Dobbin]

Think back to all the cars you've sold over the years. Did anyone ever ask for the history? No they just point out the flaws and drive the price down, then brag about the deal they got.

The fact that famous children were conceived in the back seat is lost to the rush of a good deal. All the money you spent fixing it up while you had it

are lost, causing the new owner to suspect every part to be on the verge

of breaking or wearing out.

When I see stories about "Once Owned by" or "Award Winner", "Low Mileage"

"One Owner", I suspect embellishment.

In my collection I have odometers that say 23 K, 43 K, 86 K or others but I know that's only for this time around the dial.

A good car with high mileage and no fake history is more desirable to me than

bondo bucket with a big story.

Yes, it would be nice to know the whole history, but unless I find a 1934 Ford in the original owner's garage myself, and talk to her, I doubt it, I think it's bunk. (Now think of this: An original owner of a 1934 car would have to have been 20 years old or older, more like 35. That means I'd be hearing the story from a woman 96 to 111 years old) Other than that, "Original Owner" or "One Owner Stories" can only apply to relatively new cars. Ever ask yourself how a dealer can sell a "one Owner car when he's at least the second owner?

I enjoy the cars I own and have owned and would be happy to share the history if asked, but most of the time I know only the history during my ownership, which is seldom very exciting. (I Once sold a Great American Race car and thought that history of reliability was important, only to discover that the idiot who bought it never heard of the Great Race and wanted to make a street rod out of it. Later we bought the expensive engine back form another parts vendor for $400 because they didn't car about the history)

[keiser31]

I guess I am lucky to know the history of two of my three vehicles.

[alsancle]

Depends what kind of car you are talking about. For the higher end stuff, the history is very important and many/most of the buyers are interested in it. For musclecars it can make or break the value of the car.

[Guest will morris]

that bolt will work only on the right side of the car

spent most of my money that way too including motorcycles (indans ;norton's and bsa's)

had a good time getting to be 65 anyway.

[Barry Wolk]

that bolt will work only on the right side of the car

spent most of my money that way too including motorcycles (indans ;norton's and bsa's)

had a good time getting to be 65 anyway.

What? Are you lost?

[Restorer32]

We are just finishing restoration of a 1937 GMC Rescue Truck still owned by the rescue squad that purchased it new in 1937. They have many, many pictures taken of it over the years including the day it was delivered as well as in action at accident scenes, in parades, and at the squad house. During WWII it was used to parade Emperor Hirihito around town hanging in effigy from the side body rails. I guess PC wasn't as rampant then? Very unusual to have such complete documentation but it sure adds to the historical value.

[Restorer32]

For vintage Jaguars you can get the original purchaser's name and well as the date of purchase, the dealer's name, the original tag # and the list of options and original paint, top and interior colors.

[rick60]

I think knowing the history of a car is one of the most important aspects of ownership. I was able to trace the owners of a Pontiac that I formerly owned back to the original owner. I used some of the papers that were included with the car. He sent me photos of the car when it was new. (never should have sold this car) I found a name in the trunk of the car I currently own. I composed a letter explaining that I was researching the history of my car, along with some photos of the car. I sent nine copies of this letter to individuals in Oklahoma. I included a SASE and my phone number. The only reply I received was from a man that had recently retired from my area of Chicago. He was the only person that took the time to tell me that he never owned the car. None of the letters were returned to me. I assume someone received them in Oklahoma. After my experience with my Pontiac I thought it would be easy to do the same with my Ford. It didn't work out that way.