National Motor Vehicle Title Information System
Has That Vehicle Been Damaged?
United States Department of Justice
NMVTIS
National Motor Vehicle Title Information System is the national federal database that shows if the vehicle has been a total loss.
Came out of 1992 Anti Theft Act. This took 17 years to come to fruition including Cash For Clunkers. It is a requirement for salvage yards and automotive recycling companies to report VIN numbers when the vehicle comes in and if the vehicle is crushed that VIN is also submitted. Flood damaged vehicle VIN’s are to be entered. Auto Auction companies enter the VIN information.
NMVTIS
Reports cost $2.95 to $4.95 and this report is independent of CarFax.
NMVTIS titling is carried forward. Older vehicle historical records may not be in the system.
Alliance Inspection Management (AIM) do inspections for consumers and for dealers. They will run database checks, engine and transmission oil sample analysis, and provide an assessment for the vehicle’s condition.
Automotive Cloning
Bad guys could take an automobile and change or replate the VIN to a good car or a salvage vehicle that they have purchased the salvage VIN. You can expect to find 20 VIN numbers on a modern car.
Creative Crime
In one criminal example the same VIN was used to export six (6) vehicles that had been cloned with the same VIN.
Inspection
Consumer inspection can cost $129 to $400 for a full inspection with fluid samples and vehicle history reports, as reported by Alliance Inspection Management.
Autoline Detroit
Below is the link to Autoline Detroit from September 25, 2011. The show focuses on flood and damage vehicle issues with representatives from Alliance Inspection Management and the Automotive Recyclers Associaiton meeting with host John McElroy.
