Corvette history based on VIN

[Dino L.]

[Richard S.]

Re: Corvette history based on VIN

Would this information include C1 corvettes?

[Mark J.]

Pandora's Box...

...says those worried about restoration fraud. The rest may look forward to valuable documentation about their car's history. My checkbook awaits.

MRJ

[Patrick H.]

Re: Pandora's Box...

Agreed.

I'd pay a modest fee for this information on my 2 cars, even though I have the full history on one of them. There's no such thing as "too much" documentation.

Patrick

[Joe R.]

Re: Corvette history based on VIN

I am surprised that they would agree to provide any VIN-specific information, since I thought the information they provide is strictly statistical. However, if they are in fact willing to do this, count me in at any reasonable price!

[Philip C.]

Re: Corvette history based on VIN YEA Right

Guys I think these people (Polk)have no idea what their talking about. That info they listed up there is not from a 10 or 13 number vin. its from the new car 17 and up ones. 2) If they could tell you what state your car was in, in 1980 99.9% of the motor veh. depts as you ALL know have no info. available. Most DMV do searches for three dollars or so, if you do a 50 state search it would cost you less than two hundred dollars. Phil 8063

[Terry D.]

Re: Corvette history based on VIN

I have to agree with Phil, how can Polk find out info from DMV's that we can't. You better make sure they are talking older Corvette's, because half of the details they listed for you do not pertain to C1's. Why do they not have to follow the Privacy Act?
Terry

[Mark #28455]

Privacy act only covers names

Only the names/addresses of prior owners are covered in the privacy act. When I requested past owner info from Virginia, they gave me Xerox copies of the titles with just the names/addresses crossed out with a giant black marker. So giving a state of residence history is not a violation of the act.

Mark

[Terry D.]

Re: Privacy act only covers names

OK Mark Thanks

[Joe R.]

Re: Corvette history based on VIN YEA Right

Hi Phil:

RL Polk does not need to ask DMVs for registration information from past years. They have been collecting current-year registration information from the DMVs of every state, each year, for more than 60 years.

It's an interesting business. Apparently their primary customers are car manufacturers, who seek various types of statistical information that helps them discern various trends that affect their marketing efforts.

I spoke to RL Polk a couple years ago when trying to research the history of my car. They told me that due to privacy laws, they could not give me information about the specific registration history of my car.

However, they did confirm that, at least in theory, they have the complete registration history of every Corvette that has ever been registered. It's tantalizing to think that this information does in fact exist in the RL Polk data base, but my conclusion was that there was no way for me to access it (they did mention that they do provide this information to law enforcement agencies....).

The recent post that said RL Polk would be willing to provide VIN-specific information in terms of what states the car was registered in is new information that sounds interesting. Just having that information on my car would be of great interest to me.

[Philip C.]

Re: Corvette history based on VIN YEA Right

Maybe Iam not clear on my point.If they told your car came from New York in 1980 yes its new information but Its totaly useless. Ex.(my 63) I know the new selling dealer,I got that from NCIC.The dealer that sold it used in 69 I got that from the owner at that time. Car was in CA. CA. DMV says it has NO records.I got lawyer bills to show they have nothing! Only stolen car info is kept. Now if Polk can come up with a name and address you got something if not you got nothing but a state that the car was in at one time and to me thats still nothing. The info to someone with a C4 C5 C6 it may be useful. But C1 C2 C3 nottia! The Vin specific info listed in Dinos post like I said comes from 17 number vins, you could go to pep boys and get that. Iam the first guy to say never say never,How many people have done what you and I have,(HUNDREDS)I would think that RL Polk is in business to make money on their information and sell it to whoever is willing to pay, and would have sold it a long time ago to people like us or our lawyers and guys like Dave Reniser.I HOPE RL proves ME wrong but I doubt it. Phil 8063 my 99 cents

[Eric J.]

[Joe R.]

Re: Corvette history based on VIN YEA Right

Hi Eric:

I think that you and Phil are mixing statements made by Dino with statements made by me.

My conversations with Polk were a couple years ago and the information I got was slightly different from what Dino has posted. I described in my posting what I recall from my discussions with Polk.

I can't comment on what they told Dino. What I can say is that Polk has been collecting current-year registration information from each state for 60+ years, so it is a misconception to think that somehow Polk has to go ask the state DMVs for old registration data in order to get the registration history on a specific VIN. Polk gathered that data when it was current.

I believe that they still have all of this data in their possession, but some of it may be organized in ways that are hard to search. It would take further discussions with Polk to clarify what they can and can not do in terms of searching the data that they have.

[Harmon C.]

Re: Can Polk do VIN and Horsepower?

If Polk can put a horsepwower with a VIN the information without names would turn the Corvette world upsidedown. This type information could be good or bad for the hobby.
Lyle

[Eric J.]

Re: Corvette history based on VIN YEA Right

Not me I never get things wrong... either way count me in on wanting the info if available. I would love to know where my 78 was in 80. Eric