What's going on here?

[dogsandme]

There is an airstream 345 that has been listed on eBay twice. Supposedly the deal fell the first time. When I asked for the VIN, it came back with an invalid check digit. Here's the story I got:

"When I had the last emissions test, the supervisor had to come out to OK the VIN number because they couldn't find one on the RV. He stated that it was not uncommon on older RVs for the VIN number to be covered by by the finish work, or to never even have had a VIN number (in which case the state assigns one). He did however say that in their records my VIN number matched an Airstream motorhome and as the result allowed the vehicle pass inspection. My registration and title both show the number that I provided you. As far as finding the actual number that Chevrolet put on the frame? It's not apparently going to be possible."

Running a CARFAX I see that it is registered and has been under that VIN since 2003.

Can a MH really be registered with an invalid VIN? There are also two odometers: one that was original and then a new one that shows the low miles: both are shown in the pictures.

Plus this MH looks a lot like a picture of one I saw here: with the checkered floor and red soda fountain stools.

Thanks for any insight.

[Janet H]

Originally Posted by dogsandme

...

Plus this MH looks a lot like a picture of one I saw here: with the checkered floor and red soda fountain stools.

Thanks for any insight.

Can you post a link to auction or the one you saw here?

[dogsandme]

The auction has ended. It supposedly fell through again. The URL is:

1986 Airsteam Classic 345 Motorhome - Custom Interior : eBay Motors (item 260567738226 end time Mar-19-10 13:45:14 PDT)

You have to hit the stop on your browser before it takes you to another page since it has ended.

I'll look for the pictures here.

[dogsandme]

The person finally found the real VIN and a CARFAX confirmed it was correct. Don't understand how it got registered under the "assigned one" but anyway, the mystery is solved.

[Janet H]

Oh good. There are snafus with VINs fairly frequently - but you are wise to be cautious. Scams are not uncommon. Good luck with your hunt and purchase.

[JFScheck]

Don't forget about the "title washing" that is constantly occurring...

[dogsandme]

I haven't heard of that one (yet).

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by dogsandme

I haven't heard of that one (yet).

If it's the term I think, it's when a vehicle has a lien on it, for example, and the person that owns the vehicle finds another vehicle with a clear title, and registers the lien-ed vehicle with the clear serial number. It's harder to get away with then it used to be, but it could still happen. Caution is indicated whenever you are planning to purchase any vehicle, not just a motor home.

[StingrayL82]

I bought my 1979 Corvette from my late wife's father, who bought it new. The VIN on the body read 1Z8749S418330.....the door VIN read 1Z8789S418303. The car had never been hit, never had the door replaced either. The VINs were 27 digits apart, so the odds of even getting a junkyard door that close to the original VIN are astronomical. Near as we could figure, the door was meant for a 1979 L-48 that got our door by accident and vice versa...that or the union guy put the wrong sticker on the wrong car, as ours was a L-82.

All I know is that it was a RPITA to title and register the car, when I was stationed in California.

Having a jacked up VIN does happen. While there are shady people on EBay, it is possible that this guy is genuine.

[dogsandme]

Well in searching for a MH, I have to say that I've run into quite a few.

Craigslist takes the cake. All those great MHs for thousands less than their value. And then the reply: "I'm sorry, I am in the armed service overseas and don't have access to email. It's in storage in X. Just send a deposit, fly in and I'll have it ready for you."

Dealers don't seem to be much better. They say they have made inspections and "everything works perfectly" but the tanks are empty and so how can they test anything?

CARFAX or similar services are a good start. That's how I found out there was a problem here. But it is still scary when people talk about just giving a bill of sale and sending the title later, and when one is making a long distance buy.

I even had an instate person who wanted me to show up with cash for his rig. He owns a cement company and the rig is parked outside a big garage for it. These kind of things scare me.

[JFScheck]

Title washing is a highly illegal method of cleaning a "branded title", i.e. flood title, salvage title, fire damaged, rebuilt, etc.

This act of title washing works due to the lack of communication between state titling agencies and a lack of a standard nationwide method of assigning brands to titles.

What will happen is an unscrupulous buyer of a vehicle will continue to apply for new titles in different states until the title is essentially washed clean of it's brand.

This would therefore make the "branded title" a clean title and the vehicle would be resold as a mechanically sound vehicle, when it really isn't.