I helped my g/f with buying a car last year (let's just call it a Japanese import). It had 16k miles and it was newer car (can't remember the exact age). This car was still under warranty and was a Certified used car so it had the extended 100k mile warranty. Here is the strange part.

G/f called into the dealer to have some warranty work looked at. They take the info down and then tell her they cannot find anything pertaining to the Vin #. They called HQ and they do not have a record of the car either.

They just called a while ago and told her to keep the Loaner car for now and they would get back to her by Tues.

Another wierd thing is her fronts seats have spots on it. Her car is always parked outside and I assume she left the windows opened and it rained. She swears that that was not the case. So she is telling them to look into that.

If this car from another State and is one of those flood damaged vehicles, I can understand that. But how can the Dealer and Manufacturer not have any record of the car?

Wierd.

 

carfax?

 

Stolen, chopped and switched VIN #? Just a guess. I'm not sure how you can register a car without a legit VIN number though.

 

Canadian car? Grey import?

 

Do all the VIN #'s match on the car....ie doors, dash, etc?

 

Now now, we all know what those "spots" are

Run the VIN thru Carfox just to see if any records come up

 

I think there's something your gf isn't telling you about those spots on the seat. Maybe you should install latitude on her phone.

 

Seriously though, check the VIN #'s on the car to see if they match, get a carfax report.

You can also use an online VIN decode tool to see what comes up for that VIN

http://www.decodethis.com/

There's also the chance they just didn't enter the VIN # correctly into the system. Check the tags.

 

no, the Dealer has the car now and has verified the Vin number does not exist in their records. When she bought the car, it did have a Carfax to it. Dealer is just stumped that they sold this car and niether they nor the Manufacturer have a record of it. Luckily, the Dealer sold the car and this is a Certified Used vehicle... LOL! Mud in their face.

LOL at the spot comment....

 

Does the VIN on your sales paperwork match the VIN on the car?

If it does, open and shut case.

If not....ummmmmm

 

don't know. I will have to have a look this weekend...

 

Compare the VIN on the purchase paperwork to the VIN on the car.

 

so the car was purchased from the dealer? then you are all good. They seem to have fucked up somewhere.

 

Interesting.

 

especially if it is the same dealer (being certified, it at least has to be a same manufacture dealer though)

 

yup! Car dealer and car brand are the same. Trust me, they compared everything and came up with nothing on the car. Has them stumped how this could happen.

Any advice on what to do if they play it off and manufacture a Vin # on their records? I am not sure she wants this car if they have no clue what Planet this car came from.

 

Stop making payments on it. It does not exits!

 

first of all what brand is it (at least a clue would help and vehicle hopefully; pm if you want to)

and second, there should be a couple more places the vin will be stamped or marked, and you should be able to compare all of them to see if they match

as far as a car, say being "salvage", they will still have records of it, it does not magically just disappear over night





and so far as to what has happened to this car, by what you have said, either they are not entering the VIN correctly (is it 17 digits), or the car was stolen, then bought at auction, then it got traded in, and something got overlooked (remember a carfax is NOT an end all to the history of the car, it has to be reported first to them and not everyone does that; but it does give a decent indictaion of it's history normally though)



also manufacturing a VIN overnight especially on a used vehicle, would open them to LARGE fines and liability (and losing the ability to even sell cars here would not surprise me really though), so more then likely they won't do that

 

It must a error in the dealers computer system. If it was sold at a major brand car dealer, it has to have a vin # paper trail.

 

It is a Japanese AWD (BIG HINT), bought at the Dealership that sells the same brand. Trust me, the Dealer is stumped. I am 100% positive they know they vehicles and where to look to check all the Vin #s. Dealer has checked and also called the Big Cheese.... no record comes back to this car.

Like I said, they told her they will call her Tues and in the meantime, they have given her a Loaner. Tres bizarre, n'ect ce pas?

 

Some cars come off the line and are specifically NEVER meant to be registered so they may not have their VIN numbers entered into the system. This could have been a mix up with one of those cars, or it could have actually been one of those cars.

 

then a IS250

anyway maybe call up the local auto theft unit in the police department, and have them come check it out (and look at the "hidden" VIN, and make sure the one on the dash is "correct")
and being that you bought it a dealer (and more then likely a licensed one too, other wise they probably would not have the franchise); if indeed it is a stolen car, they will more then likely have to legally give you a full refund back (check your state law's though to be sure)

and considering it was a relatively new car, maybe hint at getting compensated with a brand new car (and they take the current one back) for your troubles (assuming the current car, should have never even been sold to you in the first place, let alone being a certified pre-owned), cause i know if they did that for me, i be extremely happy, and would not complain about it

 

Have checked the vin on the stickers that are on each body panel?

 

It's a mystery but really, so what? The problem belongs to the dealer and manufacturer. Where did they get the car from? It's on them to explain it right?

As long as they can verify the specifications it can be identified as a specific model and year. Trade-in value may be a little tricky.

 

Your gf bought a GT-R?

 

 

LOL! I really do not want to specify brand for now. It is a Japanese import.

All will have to wait till Tues. If they cannot explain the car propertly, they are going to have to figure out how to resolve this as I would not be willing to accept the car. But that is not my decision, for now.

 

 

that is a negative!!!

 

whats the big deal about telling us the brand?

 

just don't feel I should since this is such an unusual case and it is not my car. Dealer is working on it and I do not want to name names... that is all..

 

Daewoo, IMO.

 

Ahhh.. so you're the ones who got the one Mitsubishi that was sold in the past year

 

That's very interesting.

In our (big hint, U.S.-built Korean cars) system, we can use VIN to track the car from body shop to where it is on the line, what truck it is on and who bought it. I find it incredible that an OEM can have no record of a VIN. The car clearly exists, which means it was produced at a plant somewhere, which means it was built with and tracked by its VIN entailing all of its build processes and specifications/options to be assembled at various stations along the production line.

Some dweeb at OEM screwed up the database (next to impossible because there are so many government regulations and in-house quality control involved) or the vehicle was stolen/totalled/flooded/whatever and had a new (fake) VIN plate put on (I was a victim of this once on a Honda CBR600RR).

Do keep us posted if you don't mind. It has piqued my curiosity.

 

Well if they sold you a car with a blemished title and didn't tell you that, they've got a problemo. They have to disclose that. I would be surprised if a big brand name dealership would have a car like that on their used lot though...usually they kick that stuff to auction and don't deal with turning a problem car like that.

 

If it doesn't exist.. then what are you paying for? (big hint)

 

Update:

they called said they have no clue about this but they will be putting the car back in the system. This was expected. So I told the g/f we will need to go in and speak with the Manager. I also told her she needs to think about what she wants to do and not walk in and say "I don't know".

here are the options:

1) they take back the car and find her a suitable replacement
2) they take back the car and pay her back whatever is owed
3) they take the car in on trade for a new car (not an option as she lacks funds).

anyone else have ideas on options and please be serious on this. It is a serious problem to us.

as for not paying on the car, you guys have to understand that the payments are to a Bank. It is not their fault that this has happened.

 

They take the car back and find a suitable replacement. It's complete BS that this has happened.

 

x2

 

Is your GF satisfied with the car?

If yes, just keep the car after it's been put (back) into the manufacturer's system. It sounds like the dealer is covering any warranty issues and defects, so there is no warranty problem.

FWIW, the insurer likely would have flagged the car if it was reported wrecked/stolen through another insurer or if the VIN was improper.

One other possibility is that someone @ the manufacturer accidentally deleted that specific VIN at some point, if there were no typos entering the VIN info.