Porsche Newbie

How do you trace your cars history eg, owners, locations, where it may have been originally purchased ect?

Cowhorn

Other than a Carfax, I don't know. Good question. By the way, is it gauche to call a previous owner to ask them questions about the car?

ron mcatee

If you want correct info, that's the thing to do. It's OK in my opinion.

Jay H

I bought my '90 964 in the fall of 2000. It had two owners prior to me. I contacted the previous owner in the summer of 2001. He was elated to hear about the car and we talked for 30 minutes on the phone about it (and all things Porsche). He was 800 miles away in a different state as well.

In 2002, I mailed a photo of my car and a very brief letter to the first owner of my car and asked him a few general questions. He emailed me back within a week and gave me some valuable history on the car. He was also glad to hear about the car. He was a doctor that leased the car for 2 years when it was new.

So, definitely give it a shot when you find out who the prior owner's were.

You can sometimes find that info out from service records (many dealers keep records by VIN number). Carfax is where I'd start if you have zero history...

Jay
90 964

Porsche Newbie

Out of luck with CarFax..

"We are unable to provide you with vehicle history information for vehicles manufactured prior to 1981, when the 17 character VIN became standard. The 17 character VIN is the code that is used to access CARFAX’s vehicle history information database."

Cowhorn

Is there a national DMV data base into which you could enter the VIN and possibly trace the car titles to the previous owners? Maybe your local branch could answer that question.

OneNineElevenGuy

I have traced mine all the way back to the original owner in NC. Even sent letters back and forth with him. I am the 4th. owner of our 1982.

ron mcatee

I was lucky on mine. All the owners are/were in San Antonio and I knew all of them except the original owner. Original owner sold to a Porsche dealer salesman, who sold to a friend of mine, and then the friend sold to me. I've got a folder with everything....it's about one and a half inches thick. This my 19th Porsche and probably my last. I've Porsches in the past that had documenttation, but not like this one.

DGaunt

Maybe the bast way is to ask a friendly policeman to 'run' the car. Don;t know how much that might turn up.

ked

Rob, one approach is to trace it from its origination, then go forward. PCNA offers a Certificate of Authenticity to current owners. You send them the VIN (& $s!), they send you a piece of paper that confirms facts about your car when new. Including the dealer it was delivered to. If you are very lucky (given you have a pre-'81 car?), that dealer, if still extant, may have sales & delivery info, service & factory update records. The local PCA club may also have members from "back-in-the-day" that recall the car. It's a long shot, but if you really want to trace it, worth the effort.

911Dave

I have a C of A on both of my cars and neither of them say what dealership they were delivered to. Good thing I have the original window stickers, bills of sale and even the salesmen's business cards.

Personally I would never try to contact the previous owner(s). What if they don't want to be bothered. They might also be alarmed that you got their contact information. People these days are paranoid and nobody trusts anybody, for good reason.

I don't think any cop or public agency like DMV would ever give out contact information for anyone unless you had a darn good reason for needing it and could prove that need. Too many crazies out there. The DMV doesn't know you and for all they know, you're looking people up so you can go murder them. Privacy is a HUGE issue these days. I'd be surprised if a dealer gave out any information either. If you went and harmed or harrassed that person, the dealer could be sued to high heaven for giving out the info.

r911

Wash DMV will not give out PO contact info, but will fwd a letter you send them to the PO's. Seems fine to me. I did that, but nobody responded. PCA can also verify if they are club members but will not give out contact info.

It's ok, I have all their addresses & GPS coordinates loaded into Google Earth and will commence mortar firing at...

Jay H

LOL!

It's scary as to what's all out there on the web...

InTheAir

Neat story, Jay.

Jay H

Thanks Jeff!

The first owner told me it was his first and only Porsche. "A casulty of divorce" is what he wrote. Not sure exactly what he meant by that... but, he also said it never gave him any trouble and didn't need anything but a recall repair and oil changes. He ordered it out from his local dealership.

The second owner had it as a 4th car along side a fleet of BMW's. He only had to change oil as well (he kept it until 27,700 miles until I bought it) and a few minor things. It seemed like the first two owners had little trouble with this early C2 during it's first 10 years.

Jay
90 964