so im planing on flying down to LA (im here up, san jose) and looking at the carfax it shows he bought the car in april 2003 and no other info has been recorded. so does this mean in the two years he owned it he never renewed his registration? doesnt it usually show a record when you renew?

well some useful advice would be greatly appreciated. heres what the carfax shows:


07/14/2002 CA 35 Motor Vehicle Dept. ODOMETER READING FROM DMV

08/02/2002 CHULA VISTA, CA Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL

08/06/2002 CHULA VISTA, CA Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Lien Reported)

03/17/2003 CA 6,227 State Agency PASSED EMISSION INSPECTION

04/12/2003 CHULA VISTA, CA Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Lien Reported)

04/18/2003 CA 6,260 Motor Vehicle Dept. ODOMETER READING FROM DMV

04/30/2003 LOS ANGELES, CA Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL

05/02/2003 LOS ANGELES, CA Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Lien Reported)

 

Not sure looks suspisious to me though.

Chris

 

VERY VERY VERY SUSPICIOUS
1)every year you needs to do inspection/registration = doesn't have it
2)when you change your oil at the dealer, it also shows up= doesn't
3)can be explained by: got into car accident before getting insurance, doesn't report it, fix it instead (TWO YEARS !!). Title is clear but it's 100% salvage...

 

in california you dont have to have a yearly inspection some cars do smog testing every other year

 

hmm, i checked the carfax for my car and similar situation no records for 5 years. ok looks like false alarm. thanks guys.

 

You do not have to get a new car smogged until 4 years after you bought it. Also he dosn't have to change his oil at the dealer, he could do it himself or bring it somwhere else.

 

right...but if you sell your car even though it's say 3 months old you still have to smog it per cali law...which seems to correspond w/ the record as it was smogged in 03

 

Look for the VIN stickers on all the panels and make sure they match the one on the dash. You can find them under the hood and in the trunk. Every major panel has them (fenders, bumpers, hood, trunk lid). If the stickers are missing then they are new parts. Also check the front bumper. If there aren't little indentations from rocks and debris then be suspicious. Stone chips can be your friend.

Good luck.

 

Don't tell him that, I can't remember if I changed those out.