I called a dealership to ask for a maintenance record of a used car....they told me they can't disclose the information without having the owner physically coming down and show proof of ownership for a maintenance report. I asked them if they could just tell me whether a timing belt was done there..they couldn't even tell me that...is this part of HIPPA and it's world of nonsense? It's not like I lied and told them I need an imprint of the key cuz I lost the key. Please help me see how I could possibly use the maintenance record to hurt someone?

 

bmw told me the same thing

 

How in the world is information like this private, I think it is in the interest of your safety to obtain the maintenance records. The dealership where I bought my S2k from disclosed all the maintenance records when I bought my car; not many when the car only had about 7,500 miles on it.

 

my thoughts exactly...maybe the gal who works there is a quack and telling me this nonsense.

 

I was thinking the same thing. They showed me everything that had been done to the car when I bought mine. Technically, however, the dealership was the owner of the car so they gave permission to disclose this information because I asked. They aren't going to say no.
I'm thinking this is probably true....stupid but true that the owner must give permission.
His situation is that there is a private owner, not a car on the dealership's used car lot like yours and mine.

 

the thing is....the owner gave me permission via email.....nevertheless...the dealership must have proof and unfortunately the owner must come down there......that would suck if u moved to another city or state.

 

If you're going to buy the car, request that the owner get the information from the delaership.

 

It could negatively impact the sellers position. If the seller wanted to prove that the timing belt was replaced, but didn't want you to know that they had been in an accident then they need the dealership to keep private info private. Full disclosure only helps the buyer, not the seller. And the dealership would certainly cooperate.

 

I'm sure it's part of the privacy act. They can't disclose the owners information without the owners permission.

It's just like how no company can disclose your personal information without getting your consent.

 

HIPPA is the Heath Insurance Portability and Privacy Act. What does heath care have to do with a car? That's BS. The previous owner of my S2000 took his car to the same two places that I take mine... I know everything he did on that car.