According to the most recent statistics from Experian Automotive, of the nearly 1.3 million cars and trucks that were damaged severely enough to receive a branded title, over 185,000 of these vehicles lost their damage designation when they were re-titled in another state.
Title washing still a practice among unscrupulous sellers
Here at LotPro.com, we have always felt that a vehicle background check should be part of the used car buying process. In its most recent press release, Experian Automotive points out that the process of “washing” a title – that is, re-titling a vehicle in another state to circumvent reporting vehicle damage – is alive and well in 2008. Here is the press release:
SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Aug 25, 2008 – Nearly 1.3 million cars and trucks throughout the United States were designated as damaged by accidents or severe weather including thunderstorms, hail, tornadoes and flooding in the first half of 2008. According to AutoCheck vehicle history reports from Experian Automotive, more than 185,000 of these vehicles — over 15 percent — lost their damage designation, or brand, when they were re-titled in another state. While these brands did not carry over to the new titles, they can still be found on the vehicles’ AutoCheck vehicle history reports.
Vehicles sustaining damage or experiencing other major events in their histories carry “brands” on their titles — words or symbols on the official vehicle title issued by the state Department of Motor Vehicles. These brands signify vehicle status or condition with classifications such as Salvaged, Lemon, Rebuilt or Reconstructed, Flood, Hail or Fire Damaged, Totaled, Broken Odometer, Stolen, or Abandoned. “Title-washing,” wherein a vehicle is re-titled in another state but its brand is not carried over to the new title, remains a prevalent issue with the potential to endanger thousands of used-vehicle shoppers each year who may unknowingly buy a possibly unsafe vehicle that had been severely damaged in the past.
“Too often, vehicles branded due to some form of severe damage are reconstructed and re-titled without their damage-related brand and then sold to unsuspecting consumers,” said Scott Waldron, president of Experian Automotive. “With such a large number of title-washed vehicles on the road today, consumers shopping for a reliable used car or truck need to get an AutoCheck vehicle history report for all vehicles they consider buying.”
Severe weather such as tornadoes and flooding in the first six months of 2008, along with the onset of hurricane season, has increased the potential for more title-washed vehicles to find their way into the market. Experian’s AutoCheck vehicle history reports allow consumers to quickly access the history of any used vehicle by revealing possible undisclosed or unknown problems that can affect an automobile’s safety and resale value including major flood damage, frame damage, odometer rollback issues, along with other key information. Because AutoCheck vehicle history reports keep a list of each reported history event on a vehicle, items such as storm-related title brands stay on the vehicle’s history report even though the brand may be lost when the vehicle is re-titled in a new state.
“Consumers need to arm themselves with as much information as possible when shopping for a used vehicle,” Waldron said. “An AutoCheck vehicle history report will show past title brands and designations of prior damage, providing used-vehicle shoppers with the peace-of-mind they need to know that the vehicle they are buying is reliable and, most importantly, safe.”
Consumers can obtain an AutoCheck vehicle history report by simply visiting www.autocheck.com .
The Bottom Line
If you’re in the market for a used car or truck, you should do a background check of the vehicle using a service such as AutoCheck. In addition, you should also have any used vehicle thoroughly inspected by an ASE Certified Master Mechanic, since this will let you know the condition of every vehicle system.
About Experian Automotive
Experian Automotive, a part of Experian, delivers information services to manufacturers, dealers, finance and insurance companies, and consumers. Experian(R) helps automotive clients increase customer loyalty, target and win new business, and make better lending and vehicle purchase decisions. Its National Vehicle Database, housing more than 500 million vehicles, along with Experian’s credit, consumer and business information assets, meets the industry’s growing demand for an integrated information source. Experian’s advanced decision support services help clients turn this information into improved business results. Experian technology supports several top automotive Web sites, including eBay Motors, CarsDirect.com , CarMax.com and NADAguides.com . For more information on Experian Automotive and its suite of services, visit our Web site at www.experianautomotive.com.
Tags: autocheck, experian, experian automotive, used car, vehicle history reports
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