When Your Used Car Is a Little Too ‘Mobile’

Re:When Your Used Car Is a Little Too ‘Mobile’ by RandomBacon on Thursday February 06, 2020 @03:40PM (#22260051)

I thought about doing that, but if someone wants my VIN, they just have to squat down and look at the VIN that's punched in the frame of my truck.

I haven't checked other vehicles, but I imagine they also have their VINs punched in the frame where it's easily visible.

I don't know if it's against the law to grind that off, but it's probably not against the law to weld a metal plate over it.

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Re:When Your Used Car Is a Little Too ‘Mobile’ by JohnFen on Thursday February 06, 2020 @07:26PM (#22261961)

> I imagine they also have their VINs punched in the frame where it's easily visible.

It's not always easily visible, but the VIN must be stamped on the major components of the car by law. I believe this means visible from the driver's side windshield, stamped on the frame, and stamped on the major drivetrain components.

> I don't know if it's against the law to grind that off, but it's probably not against the law to weld a metal plate over it.

In my state, it's illegal to do either of those things, but I don't believe it's illegal to obstruct the view of the VIN in a less permanent way.

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Re:When Your Used Car Is a Little Too ‘Mobile’ by grecy on Thursday February 06, 2020 @10:33PM (#22263005)

> I don't know if it's against the law to grind that off, but it's probably not against the law to weld a metal plate over it.

My Jeep has added "frame rust protection" from the factory (Canadian-spec) and I've never been able to find a VIN stamped anywhere on the frame. Apparently the coating covered it. It was a pain in the ass crossing borders in Africa when they didn't want to use the VIN at the base on the windshield.

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