Since when is this a thing?

"WilliamsSW" (williamssw) 09/23/2018 at 11:44 • Filed to: Department of useless information, Carfax, Fake news

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Here’s a “Carfax” report for a 1957 Corvette.  This seems like a huge mistake on the part of Carfax and anyone who thinks that this is useful.

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > WilliamsSW 09/23/2018 at 11:48

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Most VIN checks don't even work with the less than 17 digit vins like my '61 Corvairs has.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. 09/23/2018 at 11:51

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Can confirm. I  have a 10-digit VIN.

WilliamsSW > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. 09/23/2018 at 11:54

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And there’s a few good reasons for that. Starting with the fact that most of the history of any pre-1981 car was long before the internet was a thing, and ending with the fact that “VINs” weren’t standardized and could even be redundant, at least in theory.

This car is being offered by a dealer.  It looks to me like they just added leading zeros to create a fake 17 digit VIN, then submitted a mileage report to create some *history*.  I can’t imagine anyone shopping for this car would be fooled, so it seems useless, really.

SirDrivesAlot (now with hybrid powerrrr) > WilliamsSW 09/23/2018 at 12:01

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Carfax can be hit and miss...I had a Protege 5 that I got rearended in (8k worth of damage) I  pulled a Carfax on it about a year later.......Carfax did not have the repair in their system......

WilliamsSW > SirDrivesAlot (now with hybrid powerrrr) 09/23/2018 at 12:10

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Yep - they’re dependent on cops, shops etc reporting data to them.

But in the case of a pre-1981 car without a 17 digit VIN, it’s virtually a lock that they’re not going to get any useful data.

WilliamsSW > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 09/23/2018 at 12:15

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I’ve tried to search old VINs on numerous occasions. It’s a wild goose chase.

Seems like this classic car dealer just filled in leading zeros on their inventory to “create” a 17 digit VIN, then submitted mileage report so it wouldn’t be blank.  Seems too useless to be even be worthwhile, but whatever.

vondon302 > WilliamsSW 09/23/2018 at 13:15

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That's ridiculous.

WilliamsSW > vondon302 09/23/2018 at 14:24

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Absolutely. 

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > WilliamsSW 09/23/2018 at 14:26

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It's possible that they had to add zeros as fillers to work with thier own systems.

WilliamsSW > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. 09/23/2018 at 15:11

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Yes, but they then reported mileage to carfax and then linked to the carfax on their website. That’s what bothers me. 

BIGBLOCK472 - wide and bizarre > WilliamsSW 09/23/2018 at 20:00

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My hearse has an 8 digit VIN and there’s no info about it anywhere aside from a few very specific enthusiast groups.