VIN changed but found the original details and not stolen
Discussion
I have a VW Golf Mk2 GTi 16v that I bought from a neighbour in 2005 for very little, it was an MoT failure. I fixed it and ran it as a daily for 5 years. When the V5 came through, it was for a different model which I queried with my neighbour. He said it had been re-shelled years before, but I had a niggling doubt. It was a four dour model on the V5 and registered as a 1989 (early, so MY1989) but was 1990 spec (no electric windows was the critical item). It went off the road in 2012 and other than the occasional start up it sat on my driveway.
I moved 3 years ago and the Golf is now in storage with a view to getting it back on the road. A few years back I thought I would try and find evidence if the car had been altered and after checking the underside of the VIN stamped on the scuttle, it had been welded in. The build sticker in the boot had been removed, but after lifting the carpet I found a fragment of a green and white computer print out paper with a VIN on it. I entered the VIN on the isitnicked website and it came back not on the stolen database, but it didn't give me the registration. I recently tried again to search the VIN and a new website vinreport.co.uk provides more information including the registration which ties in with the car.
Searching the reg revealed registered 1/6/90, 1 owner, tax expired 20 June 1994 and not stolen or on finance.
So, do I leave as is and enjoy on the road, but without sinking money into it as it's background is questionable or tell the DVLA (I sure the police would get involved) and ask if I can reinstate the original VIN. Would that be a world of pain?
I have receipts for all the parts, old Mots, various V5s issued over the years so I can verify ownership, it's even on Google streetview a few times.
Has anyone gone through a similar experience?
I moved 3 years ago and the Golf is now in storage with a view to getting it back on the road. A few years back I thought I would try and find evidence if the car had been altered and after checking the underside of the VIN stamped on the scuttle, it had been welded in. The build sticker in the boot had been removed, but after lifting the carpet I found a fragment of a green and white computer print out paper with a VIN on it. I entered the VIN on the isitnicked website and it came back not on the stolen database, but it didn't give me the registration. I recently tried again to search the VIN and a new website vinreport.co.uk provides more information including the registration which ties in with the car.
Searching the reg revealed registered 1/6/90, 1 owner, tax expired 20 June 1994 and not stolen or on finance.
So, do I leave as is and enjoy on the road, but without sinking money into it as it's background is questionable or tell the DVLA (I sure the police would get involved) and ask if I can reinstate the original VIN. Would that be a world of pain?
I have receipts for all the parts, old Mots, various V5s issued over the years so I can verify ownership, it's even on Google streetview a few times.
Has anyone gone through a similar experience?
Sounds dodgy as f…
If I understand it correctly:
The car looks like it is a GTI but has the identity (vin,V5) of a lower spec model.
If the two bodies weren’t even the same, nor the mechanicals or trim then it’s rather more than an innocent ‘re shell’ and much more likely that the ID has simply been slapped onto a ‘dodgy’ GTI.
What about the engine number on the V5?
Given the timeframe involved, I wouldn’t trust an online report to show correctly if the shell’s correct VIN was stolen or not, if it had been stolen when fairly new then probably long before computerised records.
A hornets nest probably best left well alone and I’d suggest parting out anything of value and scrapping the shell rather than invest any time or money in restoring it!
If I understand it correctly:
The car looks like it is a GTI but has the identity (vin,V5) of a lower spec model.
If the two bodies weren’t even the same, nor the mechanicals or trim then it’s rather more than an innocent ‘re shell’ and much more likely that the ID has simply been slapped onto a ‘dodgy’ GTI.
What about the engine number on the V5?
Given the timeframe involved, I wouldn’t trust an online report to show correctly if the shell’s correct VIN was stolen or not, if it had been stolen when fairly new then probably long before computerised records.
A hornets nest probably best left well alone and I’d suggest parting out anything of value and scrapping the shell rather than invest any time or money in restoring it!
Betty_Swollocks said:
I have a VW Golf Mk2 GTi 16v that I bought from a neighbour in 2005 for very little, it was an MoT failure. I fixed it and ran it as a daily for 5 years. When the V5 came through, it was for a different model which I queried with my neighbour. He said it had been re-shelled years before, but I had a niggling doubt. It was a four dour model on the V5 and registered as a 1989 (early, so MY1989) but was 1990 spec (no electric windows was the critical item). It went off the road in 2012 and other than the occasional start up it sat on my driveway.
I moved 3 years ago and the Golf is now in storage with a view to getting it back on the road. A few years back I thought I would try and find evidence if the car had been altered and after checking the underside of the VIN stamped on the scuttle, it had been welded in. The build sticker in the boot had been removed, but after lifting the carpet I found a fragment of a green and white computer print out paper with a VIN on it. I entered the VIN on the isitnicked website and it came back not on the stolen database, but it didn't give me the registration. I recently tried again to search the VIN and a new website vinreport.co.uk provides more information including the registration which ties in with the car.
Searching the reg revealed registered 1/6/90, 1 owner, tax expired 20 June 1994 and not stolen or on finance.
So, do I leave as is and enjoy on the road, but without sinking money into it as it's background is questionable or tell the DVLA (I sure the police would get involved) and ask if I can reinstate the original VIN. Would that be a world of pain?
I have receipts for all the parts, old Mots, various V5s issued over the years so I can verify ownership, it's even on Google streetview a few times.
Has anyone gone through a similar experience?
This has to be a wind-up.I moved 3 years ago and the Golf is now in storage with a view to getting it back on the road. A few years back I thought I would try and find evidence if the car had been altered and after checking the underside of the VIN stamped on the scuttle, it had been welded in. The build sticker in the boot had been removed, but after lifting the carpet I found a fragment of a green and white computer print out paper with a VIN on it. I entered the VIN on the isitnicked website and it came back not on the stolen database, but it didn't give me the registration. I recently tried again to search the VIN and a new website vinreport.co.uk provides more information including the registration which ties in with the car.
Searching the reg revealed registered 1/6/90, 1 owner, tax expired 20 June 1994 and not stolen or on finance.
So, do I leave as is and enjoy on the road, but without sinking money into it as it's background is questionable or tell the DVLA (I sure the police would get involved) and ask if I can reinstate the original VIN. Would that be a world of pain?
I have receipts for all the parts, old Mots, various V5s issued over the years so I can verify ownership, it's even on Google streetview a few times.
Has anyone gone through a similar experience?
Drawweight said:
Put it back on the road as cheaply as possible and enjoy it.
Pointless sinking big money into it with the intentions of selling it at some point in the future as this may come back on you, especially as the log book difference is so glaringly obvious.
Using as a trackday car was the goal, but even then cage, seats, brakes, suspension starts adding up.Pointless sinking big money into it with the intentions of selling it at some point in the future as this may come back on you, especially as the log book difference is so glaringly obvious.
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