Finding prior owners

[crosby50]

I'd like to do some background research on the maintenance history of my car. Is there a way to find out prior owners' names and/or service history using a combination of carfax and VIN? For instance, if I know that the car was titled in Syracuse, NY in 1992 and carfax states that a 60k service was done on June 5, 1994 is there a method of finding out the owner and/or where he serviced it? Also can I find out original dealer?

[Grady Clay]

This should be readably available.

Next week I’m going to ask local “private investigators” to bid on finding VIN provenance. With today’s technology that should be easy.

I suspect that I can do this myself but I’d rather hire someone.

I’ll pass on the info,

Best,
Grady

[randywebb]

I posted on this a while back - in summary you trace back thru all the DMV registrations in various states; and can use PCA also.

[911quest]

Well here is a twist what if you have the address of the previous owner before the guy you bought it from would it be ok to ask him about owning the car? How would you contact him phone, letter?

[Gordo2]

Crosby,

Though I would think it unusual, I was able to research the previous owner of my car and ended up with only a poor/short conversation out of it at best. (The title to my car still had the previous owner's information (location) and I was able to find a phone #).

I bought my car from a dealer with no maintenance history. The car had some nice upgrades and a PCA sticker on it so I figured the last owner might have been a fellow fanatic that wouldn' t mind speaking to me about the car.

When I got hold of the guy he was very rude, asked how much I paid for the car (which I didn't mind telling him), then proceeded to tell me I paid too much and got screwed. From there the conversation pretty much ended.

I figure the guy must have dumped some money into it via dealers, got fed up with the bills and unloaded it with a bad taste in his mouth.

Unlikely you would run into anything this odd, but you never know.

Best of luck,

Gordo

[anthony]

My inclination is to leave people alone. What burning piece of information do you really need?

[Hetmann]

Exactly. The one thing for sure is that at some point the previous owner for whatever reason either didn't want or couldn't keep the car any more. When you contact them you will be bringing up those feelings. What do you expect them to talk about?

[911quest]

Well I'am interested in info on my 65 911 it is a early chasis and would like to know more about the previos owner or owners also there is a SC parked in this persons driveway

[AtomicDog]

Just be polite. It never hurts to ask.

One more nefarious quotable - "What's the worst thing that could happen?"

Seriously, wouldn't the dealers be your best resource? I ask because I'm considering this mission, myself.

Chris

[FenderGuy]

Originally posted by Hetmann
Exactly. The one thing for sure is that at some point the previous owner for whatever reason either didn't want or couldn't keep the car any more. When you contact them you will be bringing up those feelings. What do you expect them to talk about?

I don't think all owners will feel this way....i bet theres some out willing to talk about the car...

[FenderGuy]

Originally posted by Grady Clay
This should be readably available.

Next week I’m going to ask local “private investigators” to bid on finding VIN provenance. With today’s technology that should be easy.

I suspect that I can do this myself but I’d rather hire someone.

I’ll pass on the info,

Best,
Grady

Your PM is full any word on the VIN search?

[Doug Steinel]

I contaced the original owner of my '77 and he was delighted to hear about the car and tell me how he dumped the 2.7L after 5yrs and upgraded it to the 3.0L that is in it now. Both of us enjoyed the conversation.

Doug