[Grady Clay]

John,

I don’t think you are angling for a stolen trailer. You bring up a good question. When buying a used trailer, just like a 911, research and track its provenance. Call the manufacturer and ask who the original owner was. You should be able to trace the ownership through the registration forward from the MSO and backwards from the current title and registration. If not, walk away. As many have said “If the deal is too good to be true, it probably is.”

If you buy a trailer (or a 911 for that matter) that is stolen, your money may be out the window. Prudence dictates careful investigation and it is very easy these days.

Just prior to my going into the Porsche business almost four decades ago, there was an “enterprise” selling Porsches, BMWs, and MBs that were mostly stolen. The Chief Justice of the Colorado Supreme Court even bought a stolen 911. He had to pay for it a second time.

Anyone selling something legitimate will understand your caution. Most jurisdictions will dispatch a Deputy to provide a serial number inspection. Many manufacturers put the S/N in more than one place on the trailer. Porsche does also.

Most of us will either order up a new trailer (no risk) or buy a first or second-generation trailer with all the documentation (easy to check.)

Best,
Grady

[I’ll add this to my trailer document.]