TR6 Extra digit in title

[pdplot]

When I bought my TR6 about 17 years ago, the title had an extra digit in the VIN number. Since only 94K TR6's were built, the extra digit makes no sense. The commission number plate in the car is correct. Knowing the mind of the DMV, when and if I sell this car, should I continue the incorrect number or make the correction? What would you all do?

 

[cheseroo]

I had that problem with the TR8 here in CA. A trip to the DMV so they could re-verify the commission/VIN plate on the car was all it took. All the while though I had this fear that they would decide the one on the car was bad and they would rip it out and issue their own VIN plate to replace it. I've seen a few CA state VIN plates over the years so I'm always wary of some overzealous bureaucrat. Same deal when you go to register a car with the old CA black plates on it. You hand them your paperwork and before you know it they have zapped your old plates from the system and issued you new white ones. From that point forward it's an uphill battle to get your old plates registered to the car.

 

[Don Elliott]

When I bought my 1958 TR3A brand new in May 1958 The Comm. No. (VIN) was preceded by an 8. When it left the factory, the number was TS 27489 LO but when I took delivery of the TR, the number had been altered with the addition of a pre-fix numeral "8" so my TR was registered as 8 TS 27489 LO. The Canadian customs required the 8 be stamped on the VIN plate because back then, people would try to sell, say a 1953 VW as a 1957. So the requirement of the additional digit. My friend Barry has a 1960 TR3A and the pre-fix digit is "0" indicating that his is a 1960. Maybe your TR6 was imported into Canada originally.

 

[RedTR3]

On my CA registration, the "LO" has always been listed as "L0". This must have happened many years ago when the car was brought to California. I decided to just leave it as-is rather than mess with the DMV. Of course this would not work for a modern car where the VIN numbers are in a database.

 

[sammyb]

It really depends on the state and the management of the specific DMV/DoL office. In the past, I've had issues with wrong VINs or wrong dates on the title. (My late '76 Ferrari is titled as a '75.) This head county office usually says "you need a State Patrol inspection to change the title." I believe that one time I bought a car and the previous title from out of state had the wrong VIN and they changed it when I titled it in my name.

In any event, it's not a big deal in any way shape or form to have a wrong date/VIN digit if it is evident that it was uncaught human error.

 

[TR3driver]

Same here, except in my case the number on the paperwork bore almost no resemblance to the number on the car. When I reported the problem to the DMV, they had me fill out a form and bring the car to be inspected. ISTR they gave me my choice of a DMV or state police inspector, I chose the DMV. A month or so later, I had the new paperwork by mail, showing the number that was on the car.

My opinion, it would be better to address the problem now, and not take a chance on it cropping up later (like when you try to sell the car). They keep passing new rules all the time on what it takes to transfer a title.

 

[pdplot]

Thanks for the input. As an old-time lawyer, I'm leery of the DMV - besides, they closed almost all their branches and you have to "take a number" in the Norwalk, CT office. Maybe a 2-hour wait. I guess I'll have to bite the bullet at some time, take a picture of my commission plate and hope for the best.

 

[mgedit]

I too went through similar thing with my TR3. The actual VIN on car and on ownership were quite different, although I had a complete paper trail and Heritage Certificate as documentation. In my case (I'm in Ontario, Canada), I talked to a friend who is a cop to get his input. His quite correct advise was tell the truth, but like you I was very leery of the hoops I might have to go through. What I ended up doing was getting a letter from a certified used vehicle dealer, certifying that he had inspected the vehicle and that the VIN matched the one on Heritage Certificate. With that I went to motor vehicle guys and presented my case. Took a call to head office, and some head scratching, but they issued new correct ownership papers. The key was to have as much documentation as possible. In my case, the Heritage Certificate was the clincher. One thing that was not changed was the colour, but the agent I was speaking to told me not to push my luck that day and just come back to change the colour when I got the car on the road. Took her advice, said thanks, and left with a smile and considerable relief that the whole process went much better than I had imagined. Hope all works out for you. Cheers, Mike

 

[Crankshaft]

His quite correct advise was tell the truth, Cheers, Mike

What a novel approach in this day and age!