2 chassis numbers on the car?

[VjamesY]

Ok, so i just recently bought a 2002 vy exec stocko, nice car, 6 grand, everything ok, nah its not my car with the problem.

My mate was talking to his mechanic the other day, and he told him a story i thought was quiet extreme,

So my mates mechanic was doing a check or wateva on a vy ss that one of his customers was going to buy and had already put $1000 deposit on. The mechanic had been looking at the car for a while, everything seemed ok, clean car, until he checked the chasis number, the mechanic noticed that (on each side of the car i think) the car had different chassis vin numbers.

So when he confronted the guy selling the car he wouldnt give him his deposit back, apparently the tool had bought 2 write-offs and welded them together, unprofessional job aswell, illegal i expect. dodgy as.

Lucky for this guy, but im just lookin at the big picture here, how many people would be buying cars that are structurally unsafe and putting lives at risks, how many of these cars are on our roads? seriously

Im new to cars n everything and its got me worried about buying second hand cars.

I know i would get the mechanic check,
but is their anything else you can do to certainly make sure that the car is legal, i know of somethin called revs check my dad was talkin about, but anything else?

Thanks, sorry fellas if anything has already been covered

 

[Junny]

racv do one i think. for finance n stuff like that.
cars are designed to keep the box shape of the cabin. so people in side dont get hurt. something welded unprofessionally... well you can picture what will happen if its been done dodgey.
the post right under this one is similar to what your asking,

 

[VjamesY]

yeh that pritty much the same situation ay, that looks so bad, that should neva see the road again,

 

[Astranomical]

REVS = Register of Encumbered Vehicles, its used to see if there's any money owing on a car. What you're after is a WOVR (Written Off Vehicles Register) check.

 

[faroogoo]

Wouldnt be surprised at the amount out there,Theres been countless storys on shows like ACA about it & ways people/dealers have got away with it through loop holes in the law.(dont know if anythings changed since,but hope so).

My last 2 cars i've got thorough mech/body inspections done before purchase by MotorCheck(SA).

Wouldnt give a seller one 1 cent before the vehicles been checked over,if they have an issue with that find another car.

 

[Garth]

depending on your state, qld has just done this thing with qld transport where you can check your car against a data base to see if it has been written off or in a crash before.

revs only does a finance check, not sure on other states, but coudl a trip to your local transport authority help you in your search?
does melbourne have a list or a data base you can run numbers against?

 

[Calaber]

I'm interested to read that the vehicle displayed two VIN's. How do you do that by cutting and shutting? The VIN is stamped in exactly the same position on each shell, so it makes me wonder how two numbers could be seen, unless they were originally in slightly different positions on each body, in which case they would be very close to each other on the one shell after joining.

Any ideas?

 

[alien]

Calaber, in the VY's theres a vin where the windscreen is, and one stamped into the chassis just under the drivers seat. Theres a little slit in the carpet so you can see it! Thats the one most people miss.

And in Victoria, call up VicRoads and use the automated system, it tells you write offs finance and if you speak to the operator she might be able to give you more details.... for example i had enquired about one and just asked her if anything at all comes up, and the only thing that was recorded was the number plates were stolen off the vehicle years ago and replaced.

 

[davway]

Calaber, in the VY's theres a vin where the windscreen is, and one stamped into the chassis just under the drivers seat. Theres a little slit in the carpet so you can see it!

Also the same on VX II as well.

as for the "story" there are legalities to repairing a car.
if it is written off, it MUST have a VIV to check that it is safe.
yes you can buy 2 write offs and "weld them together" (to use generalisations) but unless its done proerly and professionally, it wont pass a VIV and wont ever see the road until it is made safe.

id also believe everything that ACA and Today Tonight broadcast as well - being that they are unbiased and only seek the truth and all. :rofl:

and to answer your question, there wouldnt be many structually unsafe cars out there on the roads putting lives at risk.
the only real worry would be the very few out there that have a VIV license are doing dodgey jobs for themselves - even then, if the car ever came to attention they would be facing jail time.

Read up on what it takes to put a damaged car back on the road (once written off) and youll see its not just as easy as "welding 2 cars together".

 

[Calaber]

Calaber, in the VY's theres a vin where the windscreen is, and one stamped into the chassis just under the drivers seat. Theres a little slit in the carpet so you can see it! Thats the one most people miss.

And in Victoria, call up VicRoads and use the automated system, it tells you write offs finance and if you speak to the operator she might be able to give you more details.... for example i had enquired about one and just asked her if anything at all comes up, and the only thing that was recorded was the number plates were stolen off the vehicle years ago and replaced.

Hi Alien

Yep, I knew about those two locations,so I guess the cut was across the front floor in front of the VIN, which is a strange place to do a full cut. I was under the impression there were two numbers in the same location - buggered if I know why I thought that! Must have assumed the cut was further back in the body.