Thoughts on "re-assigned" Vin numbers
 

Hello,

Any thoughts or comments on purchasing a C1/C2 with a California reassigned vin number? I live in NJ and am finishing up my XKE project and of course am looking for a new nightmare project to get started on.
This is the 2nd or 3rd Corvette that I've seen that had a "re-assigned" vin from Ca as well as one from Pa.
All comments or advice are appreciated.

Regards,

Dan

reassigned VIN probably 'devalues' the car a bit; otherwise, no problem...
Bill

Dan,

The answer strongly depends on what your plans for the car are.

If you plan to sell the car someday, the state assigned VIN will likely hurt the value. Lots of folks are spooked by the lack of an original VIN

On the other hand, if you plan to keep the car forever, the state assigned VIN is less of an issue. It's perfectly legal and you can drive your car with impunity.

One of my cars has a state assigned VIN but it's no big deal to me. I've driven and enjoyed it for 33 years. I'll continue to drive it until they take away my license. By the time I'm gone, no one will care about old Corvettes anyway.

Jim

Bill, Thanks for the comments.

Jim,
Just about every car I've restored I had planned on keeping...problem is everytime one gets done I end up selling it.
However, as I approach the ripe old age of 60, I think I'd like to start keepng a few of them to use to drive to CVS to pick up prescriptions.

Thx

Dan

Personally, I'd probably stay away from a restored or stock car, with a State issued VIN. There's nothing really wrong with them legally, but they will have a significant effect on the value, to some buyers. A modified car, or resto-rod, would be much less effected by the state issued VIN.

Most old Corvettes with a replacement VIN, are recovered thefts, but there is always the possibility that it's an insurance company total, that has been rebuilt.

If you are looking at a car with a state VIN, make sure that the price reflects the replacement VIN. I would think that 10-20% less, than a car with an original VIN, would be appropriate.

Just wondering, has anyone actually tried to title a reassigned Vin in the state of NJ?

Dan

You've made a good point. Even if a replacement VIN plate in and of itself doesn't scare you, it would be prudent to ask why the original is gone. There could well be some answers that would cause you to lose interest in the car.

On my car, it looks like the plate just fell off, as if the factory spot welds were defective. There is no evidence of it having been forcefully removed. Neither is there any evidence my car was ever an insurance total. Not a big deal.....

Jim

Just wondering, when you go to your local DMV to title the car, do you get a regular looking transferrable title like you would if you had had a standard normal vin?

A VIN is a VIN. DMV doesn't care. The titles for our daily drivers, my car with the replacement VIN, and even our D&D Grand Sport all look the same.

Jim

:iagree:I've never had any problems titling a car with a replacement VIN in NJ. As long as you have a valid title from some state, they should except it. I would think that worse case, they may want a photo, and/or tracing, of the VIN tag that's currently attached to the car.

No problems with DMV but the value of a re-VIN car was about 25% less when I was looking for a car years ago..

A vehicle may be assigned a State Vin# for many different reasons. None of them good reasons for a buyer.
just slightly better than a salvage title, when it comes to resell. I would pass.

Thread is over 6 years old...........

The only way I would buy a Re assigned VIN car is if it had a GREAT Bullet Proof documented story (and was still somewhat discounted) or was 50% off a OE car. JMHO

Since it is 6 years old how about one issued by a state but the numbers were the same as the original vin.