Reconstructed Vehicle VIN swap

[firstgenaddict]

I found out a few days ago that in SC you are "allowed" to move a VIN from one car to another if you legally own them both.
Ethically should you... NO, but ethics and the law rarely coincide.

[Pacecarjeff]

[ QUOTE ]
I found out a few days ago that in SC you are "allowed" to move a VIN from one car to another if you legally own them both.
Ethically should you... NO, but ethics and the law rarely coincide.

[/ QUOTE ]I can't believe that would be legal.
If it is allowed anywhere, the hidden VIN stampings won't match the title.
A few owners later, and this would never be able to be sorted out.

[Gregs396]

I'm sure that there may be several cars running around out there that have had that done. I knew of a guy when I was in H.S. that wrecked his Monte Carlo. He got a doner car, and cut them both in 1/2, and made 1 good car out of the two. He did use the front 1/2 of his original car, so the VIN would not have been an issue. There are also many cars out there that have had every part on them replaced with the exception of the cowl area, so to me that is pretty much the same thing only you replaced the car around the VIN tag.

[HS PROFESSOR]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm sure that there may be several cars running around out there that have had that done. I knew of a guy when I was in H.S. that wrecked his Monte Carlo. He got a doner car, and cut them both in 1/2, and made 1 good car out of the two. He did use the front 1/2 of his original car, so the VIN would not have been an issue. There are also many cars out there that have had every part on them replaced with the exception of the cowl area, so to me that is pretty much the same thing only you replaced the car around the VIN tag.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've clipped many cars in my days in a collision shop and many time the insurance company paid for it.Is it right ??? who nows. If it was a Honda Accord no one would care.But its not. The owner of the car can probably pull it off as a repair. But he then has to take the car and have it inspected so it can be registered with a salvage title. It happens all the time guys.Dont get your panties in a wad. Welcome to the used car/collision industry. 25k is way low for a PAMPERED GNX anyway.The buyer KNEW he was getting a totaled car. Its the next buyer that wont be so lucky.I'm sure those Buick Guys have #298 forever engrained in their heads.I dont think there was much usable on the original #298 anyways.That car was toast. Probably a fatality too.Its haunted.


bob

[firstgenaddict]

"Like i said before:
Sounds illegal to me."

I am not saying that it SHOULD be legal I am just saying that it is NOT Illegal.

I was under the same assumption that it was ILLEGAL no matter where it took place or who was doing it or why it was being done.
Until I did a little research, then I found the Federal Statute. Of course states have every right to make their own laws much more strict.

[njsteve]

Final answer: you cannot take the VIN off of one car and put it on another. No statute allows that, including what is in bold in the above reply. That only refers to repairing the existing car and replacing it on that same car.

[PeteLeathersac]

Like the professor, I clipped many cars in the old days and was paid by insurance companys to do so. . Not only was this type of repair method understood as totally legal, but when done properly the result was a clean and much superior repair than fixing smashed areas....especially when rear clips. .

It wasn't uncommon when badge engineered cars became a half breed....like Novas w/ Acadian, Omega, Apollo or Ventura noses or rear clips. .

Section cuts, partial cowl cuts etc. were not as clean to do as a rear clip but never did we jump a Vin as it was always understood as totally illegal. .

To me this GNX # 298 job is an obvious felony and as much as the seller notes it has a collision history, his auction is completely misleading to an uneducated buyer. .

In cases where you can remove and reattach a Vin w/ the proper athorities present, I highly doubt jumping Vins from one car to another would be legit....anywhere! .

And good move James passing the thread onto the buyer....it may not make anyone happy but maybe it's not too late for him to understand what he's getting himself into? .

~ Pete

[70-SS/RS-L78]

[ QUOTE ]
I found out a few days ago that in SC you are "allowed" to move a VIN from one car to another if you legally own them both.

[/ QUOTE ]

You have got to be kidding me, I sure hope they make you disclose it on the title

[bertfam]

I'm not a lawyer (but I play one on TV), so Lynn, correct me if I'm wrong here, but I believe there are two laws in play here. The first, from South Carolina that states it's okay to change VIN's if you leagally own both cars, and the second, from a Federal standpoint that states you CAN'T change VIN's no matter what. In this case the Federal ruling would take precedance over the State law and make it illegal to change VIN's.

It's like the Pot laws. Some states have made it legal to posess MJ, but since it's still a Federal offense, it's against the law and you can still be arrested.

Comments?

Ed

[agtw31]

i just don't understand why anybody would be interested in this car at all.