Hi guys, I'm a newb here. Been shopping for a 6speed 3rd gen for a little while and have taken a good hard look at two different cars. Both appear to have had some paint work done on them on the front ends, can feel tape edges in a couple spots where the bumper meets the fender. The dealers say it was probably do doctor up some rock chips, which makes sense. But I also noticed on both cars that the VIN sticker on the rear bumper (passenger side near weatherstrip) were both painted too. I wasn't finding tape lines on the rear bumper, so I don't know that they've been painted also, or if it's normal for that VIN sticker to be painted over??? Can someone please clarify for me?

Thanks in advance,
TJ

 

The stickers are placed on the part after it is painted. There is no residue on the sticker or outline around it.
Take a look at the door stickers to see the difference, providing they haven't been painted. I believe you need to remove the front panel to check the vin on the front bumper.
Although it's not 100%, check CarFax report.

 

Mine are not painted. Sticker is over or on the paint.

 

Wow, thanks for the quick responses. All the others looked normal (in rear door jams, driver's door jam, passenger door, under hood, etc), just that rear bumper one was painted over on both cars.

Carfax said the first car had been in an accident, but wasn't a salvage title or anything. Both carfax and AutoCheck say this second car has no accident history

Anyway, now I know.. Thanks for the info. Will probably be asking some more questions about 6 speed cars soon, but I'll use the search tool to see what others have already asked first..

 

Glad to help. Good luck with your search and deal.......

 

funny all my other vin stickers are fine but the rear is like you say, painted over.. suppose my rear bumper has been painted as well.

btw, does anyone have vin stickers anywhere on the front fenders? i dont see any on mine, thot they are usually under the hood on the inside?

 

its soo common for a used car to have had its bumpers resprayed, as almost know one can drive a car without bumpping into shit....

 

I believe the vin sticker is under the front top panel that needs to be removed.

 

ok ill check it out...

thanks