Can I find out which dealer a car was purchased from by the VIN number?

Question

I'm trying to re-register my grandmother's old, salvaged car, but they need information regarding the Date the Vehicle Entered or was First Operated in California and the date the Vehicle was purchased on. My grandmother does not know where this information is (she's 85 with Parkinsons...) so I was hoping there was a way I could find this.

Please help!!

Answer 1

Probably not.  You may have to research by titles and or registrations.VIN contains critical information such as: where the car was manufactured; production date; interior and exterior colors; accessories.

It is most likely that you will have to trace ownership through a DMV. Everybody hates the DMV, so you have to change your "mindset" about them. Consider the DMV's of the 50 states to be a huge resource that is waiting to be tapped for information. It's how you go about doing so that is the secret to success, so be patient and allow yourself to explore the intricacies of the system.

In the final analysis, what you are trying to do is trace back each owner in succession, through the use of title searches. Therefore, you have to start with the state from which the title you received at the time of purchase was issued and work backwards.

Many times during this process you will receive copies of titles that go back to when the vehicle entered the state. At that point there will either be a copy of the previous title or its number and issuing state. That information will be used to contact the next state DMV for information, and so on.

Most state DMV's will look up titles for a fee and it is always best to contact the main office (usually in the state capital) instead of a satellite office. Below is the web address for all the US and Canada DMV's:

www.dmvwebsites.com

Answer 2

No the VIN wont tell you which dealer it came from. VIN's usually just give basic info on the car. (year, engine, the number sequence it was built, and where it was built, etc) Im not sure how you approach this, and the DMV doesn't have the info?

Answer 3

The VIN is created and put on the car at the factory often.  It does not contain any information on the selling dealer.

Answer 4

You might try speaking with an attorney.  Perhaps you could use some sort of affidavit to acknowledge ownership of the car or to state she does not know the information the state is requesting.