Missing digit in VIN on title. What would you do?

rc26 · Post by **rc26** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 5:15 am

My brother acquired a 73 Mustang from a private party about 4 years ago. He's since given the car to our cousin. The car came with a title in the previous owner's name and my brother never took it to DMV to have it transferred into his name. My cousin discovered that the title is missing 1 digit in the VIN number after he compared it to the VIN plate on the car. Obviously some kind of "clerical error" has taken place.
I called DMV yesterday to see what could be done about this. They said that the previous owner would need to correct the problem. The previous owner has since passed away, so...that option is out.

What to do? Take the title to DMV and run with what is on it and hope for hte best? Once in my brother's name, it may be easier to get it corrected?

A seemingly simple "clerical error" isn't always easy to correct. Anyone ever run into a similar situation?

Sisyphus · Post by **Sisyphus** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 5:18 am

I think you can have a title "resurrected" in some states i.e., as if you had found a car in a junkyard that you restored and wanted to put back on the road. Different states vary. Try for a new title. That may be declaring the vehicle destroyed and then applying for a resurrected title. Or something like that. But keep it on the up and up otherwise you'll find yourself painted into a corner. Sounds like you'll need to talk to several different apparatniks of the state to find out how to go about this.

Zim · Post by **Zim** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 5:23 am

My brother had a BMX bike that he rode to school. Redline, with some custom parts. Only one like it in town. Although he brought a lock with him, he didn't latch it completely, and some little punk decided test it. Aaaaand, the bike was gone.

My father was driving around and noticed a kid on the bike. He did some secret covert spy shit (followed the kid), and saw where he lived. The bike had been registered with the police, so he reported it stolen. The police went to the thief's house, checked the bike's serial number against their records, and said "There's nothing we can do. It's one number off".

Pattio · Post by **Pattio** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 5:44 am

I tried to join an online motorcycle gang and they told me I had one digit too many.

Bigshankhank · Post by **Bigshankhank** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 6:10 am

Pattio wrote:I tried to join an online motorcycle gang and they told me I had one digit too many.

I see what you did there, and I applaud you sir.

Jaeger · Post by **Jaeger** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:14 am

Bigshankhank wrote:
Pattio wrote:I tried to join an online motorcycle gang and they told me I had one digit too many.
I see what you did there, and I applaud you sir.

We can fix that, y'know...
<img src=http://www.blackletter.org/doom-pix-4-w ... pinky3.jpg>

--Jaeger

Sisyphus · Post by **Sisyphus** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 8:57 am

Zim wrote:My brother had a BMX bike that he rode to school. Redline, with some custom parts. Only one like it in town. Although he brought a lock with him, he didn't latch it completely, and some little punk decided test it. Aaaaand, the bike was gone.

My father was driving around and noticed a kid on the bike. He did some secret covert spy shit (followed the kid), and saw where he lived. The bike had been registered with the police, so he reported it stolen. The police went to the thief's house, checked the bike's serial number against their records, and said "There's nothing we can do. It's one number off".

Tell us the kid got his ass kicked and the bike stolen back fair and square.

mtne · Post by **mtne** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 9:03 am

When I moved back to CO I had a similar thing where the VIN was one number incorrect. The lady at the DMV just went out confirmed the correct number and changed it. Yup, that simple............ tho I wouldn't bet on having that happen ever again. If it's 16 instead of 17 numbers that is an obvious "just a clerical" error and I would hope that logic and reason might prevail. Of course some hardass might suggest it's his or your fuckup as you should have had the title put into the new owners name at the time of possession. Just for future reference, at least in CO you can just move a title into the new owners name without it costing too much. No registration, not full taxes, just a title transfer. I did this with the norton way too many years ago......

MATPOC · Post by **MATPOC** » Fri Dec 23, 2011 12:22 pm

Some states (PA I think is one of them) will register anything that you can drive to DMV, some people even got away with "rubbing" of the VIN plate when vehicles is too far away or unable to move on it's own power, however they are constantly changing laws, in RI you are no longer able to do that.

problemaddict · Post by **problemaddict** » Wed Dec 28, 2011 4:17 am

MATPOC wrote:Some states (PA I think is one of them) will register anything that you can drive to DMV, some people even got away with "rubbing" of the VIN plate when vehicles is too far away or unable to move

I've done the pencil rubbing of the VIN on two vehicles now. It works.

Allen, I'd just see if your bro can get the title transfered into his name, then at a later date apply for a correction to the info on the title.

stiles · Post by **stiles** » Wed Dec 28, 2011 6:14 pm

Note: 1973 is pre-17 digit VINs, and pre-computerized recordkeeping. and thus can make newer DMV employees somewhat confused/itchy already.

Zer0 · Post by **Zer0** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 5:52 pm

Sisyphus wrote:Tell us the kid got his ass kicked and the bike stolen back fair and square.

Please let it be.

(that, or some broken windows)

Zim · Post by **Zim** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 6:27 pm

Zer0 wrote:
Sisyphus wrote:Tell us the kid got his ass kicked and the bike stolen back fair and square.
Please let it be.

(that, or some broken windows)

Memory fails me. Lemme ask.

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Missing digit in VIN on title. What would you do?

Missing digit in VIN on title. What would you do?