Advice on potential purchase

[mindaugas]

Can a person go to the DMV to try to determine the previous owner for contacting them about previous service records and issues?

The last time I asked a dealer for previous owner contact info they gave me some BS line about being prevented from doing so because of the Patriot Act. And while that may be true, in that case it came across more to me that they were just trying to hide something about the vehicle so I walked away.

No service records isn't always a dealbreaker for me, but if they're not available, spending a hundred or two dollars on a pre-purchase inspection can sometimes be money well spent if it keeps you from buying a basket-case/money-pit that has more issues than expected.

they won't release personal info at the DMV. The dealer was right and I'm glad they didn't release the info. That would be a huge privacy violation.

[Y33TREKker]

they won't release personal info at the DMV. The dealer was right and I'm glad they didn't release the info. That would be a huge privacy violation.

As far as a dealership releasing such information goes, sometimes a little common sense goes a long way. If they are in the business of selling USED cars, it's reasonable to consider that a potential buyer is going to want a good idea of what they're buying, especially given how much those dealerships are asking for used cars these days.

Providing prior owner contact info used to be common practice in such situations, but now that everyones' been convinced that they shouldn't even trust their neighbors, the country has gone off the paranoia deepend...all in the name of limited liability.

Good luck then if you decide to pull the trigger on the VX.