Best way to find a car with the VIN

[carnut4life]

I'm sure this has been discussed here before but I'm looking for opinions on the best way to track down a car with the VIN. I know there are people out there that have access to this info that occasionally go out on a limb for fellow enthusiast, which is great, but I'm figuring I need to go the PI route for the best chance to track the car down and contact the owner about purchasing the car. Is there anyone out there that has done this before that can recommend a reputable company that offers this service? Not sure if it matters but the car in question is a 1981 Z28 with a 17 digit VIN. Thank you, Chad

[The Boss]

First thing to do is to run a carfax or autocheck report on the VIN to locate where it has most recently been registered or service - or to see if it's been totaled. IF it exists and IF it has current history it will greatly reduce your search area.

http://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=125997

[PeteLeathersac]

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Best would be share more details here first including whole Vin and you may get lucky.
Then, anyone Googling the Vin such as a current owner would find this thread also Members who have access to any databases can "quietly" add it to their Vin search lists...which are sometimes passed on to family/friends/others who may work for these groups and have the ability to periodically run batches of Vins through their systems.
Ask your own Insurance Co. if they have it in their system and if a hit, it's surprising even in today's privacy world what info someone may verbally tell you so have pen/paper ready.

Share more details of your connection to the car also when/where/what you know as this may offer more clues/leads/trails to follow.
Not that it may help find the car but great to see you already have GM Canada paperwork w/ as built RPO & other details.
As many here know, these are available for most '77 & newer GM vehicles regardless of where built or dealer location shipped to new.

SYC Members are second to none w/ connections also willingness to help plus it's amazing what fluky circumstances happen here sometimes that add up to success.
Best of luck w/ your quest!
:beers:
~ Pete

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[carnut4life]

Thanks Chris and Pete. That was an awesome story about your IROC Chris, always love to see something like that happen with an original owner! I've got an red 90 IROC that we bought in Janesville, WI, small world I guess. I'll try a carfax or autocheck if I can't find a professional who offers some form of locating service.

The car I'm looking for was on the west coast of Canada for 30+ years and was purchased from the original owner in 2010. Since that time its supposedly been sold two more times and is in the US now, so I'm optimistic that it's still around. That's all I really know about it at this time. I got lucky and found the second owner by accident since he had another 350 4 speed Z28 for sale that I called about. I offered to buy the GM of Canada docs from him once I found out he had owned the blue car previously but he quit talking to me once he realized I wasn't interested in the other Z28 once I found out about the blue car. Then through a friend of a friend of a friend I got lucky and got enough info on the car for George to get me a Vintage Vehicle Service report for the car. I don't feel comfortable enough to post the VIN at this time. I've heard too many stories about others using the info to find a car for themselves and want to explore all my options before I get desperate enough to post the VIN. Thanks, Chad

[carnut4life]

Good call Chris, according to carfax the car is still in Canada as of May 2017. Thanks, Chad

[Tracker1]

Is it still in western Canada? Alberta you can search the VIN. British Columbia, forget it.

[carnut4life]

Thanks Tracker1, I didn't know that about BC. Fortunately the car is back in Alberta now according to the carfax so I'll try getting a title search done on it next week.

[The Boss]

Does it narrow down to a registration city or just the province?

[carnut4life]

The carfax list the city and province Chris. There's even a phone # listed for a place that worked on it last year so I've got several leads to follow counting some facebook tips received from others. I'm going to try the title search first and go from there.

[L78M22Rag]

Carfax doesn’t seem to work for the 13 digit VIN’s?

[carnut4life]

I believe your correct Helmut and that 1981 and up is all that's available through carfax.

I've been reading up on getting VIR(Vehicle Information Report) through the AMA in Alberta and it appears they don't offer a service that has current or previous owners listed so that might be a waste of time since I already know what city its in from the carfax. Anybody have any other ideas? I'm going to try calling the # for the place that worked on it last year that's listed on the carfax tomorrow and see if they will help me out or give my number to the current owner so they can contact me if they wish.

[PeteLeathersac]

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Sounds like you're doing everything right also awesome stuff where you've reached so far!
Great to see you here too Helmut, are you in the same city as the car or?
:beers:
~ Pete

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[L78M22Rag]

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Sounds like you're doing everything right also awesome stuff where you've reached so far!
Great to see you here too Helmut, are you in the same city as the car or?
:beers:
~ Pete

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If it turns out that the car is in the Calgary area, I’ll gladly help out.

[carnut4life]

Thanks for the offer Helmut! I went ahead and ordered a VIR report from a different site than the AMA since it was only $25.00, maybe I'll get lucky and be surprised. Amazing how many hoops a car guy will jump through for the right car.

[The Boss]

I believe your correct Helmut and that 1981 and up is all that's available through carfax.

I've been reading up on getting VIR(Vehicle Information Report) through the AMA in Alberta and it appears they don't offer a service that has current or previous owners listed so that might be a waste of time since I already know what city its in from the carfax. Anybody have any other ideas? I'm going to try calling the # for the place that worked on it last year that's listed on the carfax tomorrow and see if they will help me out or give my number to the current owner so they can contact me if they wish.

A car like that someone will remember working on. With all the mundane cars that go through a service shop the old ones are a breath of fresh air.

I use a mechanic in town to take care of the things I don't want to and went in one day to borrow his lug lock set and a customer was there asking about "an old car he had seen there last summer" Nick pointed at me and said - it's probably this guys - and turned out it was. ;)

If they won't give you the number of the owner, ask if they'll pass yours along....then wait.

[BCreekDave]

Its a shame the insurance companies like Hagerty won't participate in searches like this. At least confirm that the car exists in its database and possibly act as an intermediary to see if the current owner would want to be contacted. Maybe to much hassle or risk.

[carnut4life]

The VIR report was a waste of time, there was more info in the carfax in case someone was thinking of doing the same thing in the future. It did list the city/province though which could come in handy for anyone with a 13 digit VIN on a older car. Gonna wait and call the shop that worked on it in 2017 later in the week in case they're swamped and angry on Monday's like lots of us. If that fails I'll have to try the PI route unless someone else has a better idea for me to try?

[PeteLeathersac]

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Love the swamped/angry Monday thing, so true also smooth move waiting to call!
If no love there, maybe a Kijiji wanted ad in the car's city...w/ reward?
Keep rockin', you're almost there!
:beers:
~ Pete

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[The Boss]

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Love the swamped/angry Monday thing, so true also smooth move waiting to call!
If no love there, maybe a Kijiji wanted ad in the car's city...w/ reward?
Keep rockin', you're almost there!
:beers:
~ Pete

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That's the next step!

[carnut4life]

Good idea Pete, better add that to my list. I'm a boiler inspector by trade so I'm use to people not being happy first thing in the morning. Or any other time for that matter..lol..

[69hurstSC]

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Best would be share more details here first including whole Vin and you may get lucky.
Then, anyone Googling the Vin such as a current owner would find this thread also Members who have access to any databases can "quietly" add it to their Vin search lists.

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That's not always the case. I have the full VIN on my RR on many sites, but when I Google the VIN there are no search results.

[PeteLeathersac]

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You're correct, the internet is far from perfect but certainly better chances finding posted Vins than not.
What's your 'Runner Vin also show us an example of an active link where it's posted?
Whenever searching any Vin, best always try substituting Zeros w/ the letter 'O' also sometimes trying the last six alone helps then add additional digits one by one and/or key words to decrease total results...stir and simmer as required.:smile:
:beers:
~ Pete

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[The Boss]

Anything?

[carnut4life]

Going to call first thing tomorrow and see what happens. According to his website he's really into muscle cars as well so hopefully he'll understand and help me out. If not I'm going to follow your advice and see if he'll pass my contact info along to the owner if he knows them.

[carnut4life]

Gave him the VIN of the car and he has the name and phone # of the owner. He asked me for my contact info and volunteered to pass it on to the owner so I didn't bother asking for any other info from him. Emailed him my info and am crossing my fingers hoping the owner will contact me.

[PeteLeathersac]

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Awesome news and looking forward to hearing you've connected w/ the current owner!
Again, it's really great how you've reached this point on your own so quickly also cost effectively too!
Best of luck w/ your quest!
:beers:
~ Pete

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[The Boss]

:cool2:

[carnut4life]

Thanks for the encouragement guys, I appreciate it. Wish I would have known about these Canadian cars twenty years ago when they were easier to find in good condition. I was pretty optimistic that the shop owner would contact the owner and get back to me but he haven't heard from him at all yet. I sent him a copy of the GM of CANADA docs for the car Friday afternoon in case the current owner doesn't have a copy and was hoping to hear something back from him but still haven't so I guess its time to wait patiently and see what happens for now. Hopefully I'll be surprised and hear from one of them in the next week or two. If the shop owner doesn't get back to me or tell me the owner told me to get lost I'll find another way to contact the owner somehow or another. All I really want to know is what condition the car is in and to let the owner know that I'd love the chance to purchase it if it's ever put up for sale. If anything changes I'll be sure to update the thread.

[markinnaples]

Best of luck.

[carnut4life]

No good news but I'm still digging. Sent an email to two PI's in Alberta that didn't get back to me, called a third and he thought I'd be able to get the owner through a VIR which you cannot. Called the local license bureau and was told the only way to get the owners name was with a court order. Now I'm debating if I should bug the shop owner I spoke to a few weeks ago again or got to Facebook and start begging. Neither is very appealing to me but like I've said before, it's pretty amazing what a stupid car guy will do for the right car.

[PeteLeathersac]

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Don't get discouraged also keep in mind frustrations along the way only add to the satisfaction of success!
Have you tried the Kijiji Wanted ad in the car's town yet?
Maybe w/ a pic of one the similar?
:beers:
~ Pete

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[carnut4life]

Thanks Pete, that's a good idea I'll keep in mind. I'm not getting discouraged yet, more like embarrassed at how many more pathetic things I might have to try to find the owner. Even if I find the owner I figure it might take years for them to decide to sell it which is a good thing at this point because I just bought a car I've been longing for since I was a teenager 30 years ago, a 1969 Grand Prix SJ. If I found the 81 Z28 I'm looking for I'd have to sell our COPO Camaro to make room for it and be able to afford it and I'm hoping to avoid that.

[The Boss]

I would try the Kiji 1st - somebody who knows the car will see it and get back to you.