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Anyone know about "assigned VIN" in CA?

brianc33brianc33 Member Posts: 2
edited August 2014 in Bentley
My '69 Lincoln has the VIN plate on the passenger side of the dash and it is throwing DMV for a loop. They want me to go to CHP and get an "assigned VIN" issued. Anyone ever go through this? Do they actually attach a new plate to the car? And what does that status do the the vehicle's value?

Thanks.

Brian
San Francisco
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Comments

  • scootertrashscootertrash Member Posts: 698
    Does the VIN on your paperwork match the VIN on the dashboard?
    As a collectors car, it is a severe detriment.
  • brianc33brianc33 Member Posts: 2
    Yes, the Marti report, door tag, VIN tag and other paperwork all match, but DMV is hung up on the fact that the dash VIN plate has no visible rivets. I'm not even sure it ever did have visible rivets.

    Brian
  • scootertrashscootertrash Member Posts: 698
    I would avoid that assigned VIN at all costs.
    Your car will have no collector value ever again.

    Are there holes where rivets used to be?
    If the dash, the door and the current title all match, it shouldn't be an issue.

    You should just take all of your paperwork, and the car, to another DMV office, don't mention any previous attempts, and the "issue" will likely go away. Especially if you go to a smaller town where they're more used to older cars.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Yes they attach a new plate to the car.

    I'd avoid having this done if you can. I can't see any reason why CHP can't just "clear" the car from any suspicion.

    If they force you to do this for some reason I don't know about, as long as you have all the right tags and Marti report, I doubt your car's value will suffer....BUT...it will also have this black mark that you will constantly have to explain away.

    The car's value is all about the documentation. VIN tags can be faked and changed and documents are a far better assurance to a buyer. Of course, having the car "factory stock" is best, but it's not the end of the world.

    Very WEIRD however, that DMV is insisting on this.

    Just stand tall and insist on an appeal, or as someone else said, try another DMV office. Sounds like someone drunk with their little scrap of power.
  • scootertrashscootertrash Member Posts: 698
    Don't bother agruing with them. And certainly don't let them mess up your car for some imagined issue.
    It can knock the value of your car in half or more.

    Take your car and papers and drive to another MVD office.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I think we need to hear the whole story here. Something apparently isn't right with the car (at least to the inspector's view). California DMV doesnt try to impose this without a reason.

    As long as the original VIN tag stays on, I don't see any reason to devalue the vehicle. Maybe a previous owner moved it. That's what it sounds like.
  • type540type540 Member Posts: 2
    Hi there, I'm wondering if anyone knows someone that has taken original serial number info from an older car (1954) and physically searched for the original owner/plate knowing the approx sale date and location? I am searching for early original owner of my old 356 Porsche sold by Hoffman Motors around Dec 1954 or Jan 1955. Any leads or stories would be appreciated! Thanks

    Alan
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Best bet is the various Porsche club registries. NO DMV is going to have that information. With the registry, you go from owner to owner and sometimes one of them knows the whole string. Occasionally you can search VINs through auction data.

    You can also post your VIN in local club forums but don't post it in non-registered forums that you know nothing about.
  • type540type540 Member Posts: 2
    Another angle I forgot to mention was this vehicle was sold in a Boston Police auction around the 1971 1972 time frame. Anyone out there have friends in the Boston PD that could help find out any records from that event?
  • oneeyetracyoneeyetracy Member Posts: 1
    I had an old juncker nobody wanted to buy. So a tow yard said thay would junk it for free. A year latter D.M.V. wants me to register it. The tow yard never reported to D.M.V. That this car had been scrapped. What can a person do to get D.M.V. off my back P.S. Top it all off,the tow yard says thay have no record of my car,.thay Say i must haven taken it somewhere else, and i have no pappers from them too pruve it.Thats what D.M.V. wants. Any ideas....Would appreciate it..
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    DMV can't MAKE you register a car. Just ignore it, or if you wish, just write "JUNKED--NO LONGER OWNED BY ME" on the registration invoice and send it back to DMV.

    the only way DMV has any control over what you do is if you don't register a car you DO own, and then years later, try to register it. Then they hit you for back reg.

    Whenever you sell or junk a car, you are supposed to fill out a form notifying DMV who the new owner is. Obviously you either failed to do this, or you did and DMV lost it (happens, believe me).
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