Re: Subject:: What you see IS NOT always what you get

[DMCVegas@xxxx]

I wholeheartedly agree with you in the statement Buyer Beware. CarFax 
is a good source to help reduce your chances of buying a car with a 
bad history. But it will never protect you 100%. The problem is that 
CarFax is only as good as the information reported to it. Example: I 
am the 2nd owner of my car, but it has had 4 seperate licence plates 
over it's life time, and has recently been to the DMV's in California 
and Nevada 4 times in the past year and a half. Of everything that my 
car has been thru with title issues and registratinons, only 2 smog 
checks show on CarFax. On top of that, one one of those reported the 
milage of my car. This year I elected to renew my tags via the 
internet. I smogged my car, then came home and went online to 
complete my renewal. 3 days later I got my tags in the mail. But not 
even my renewal this year has not been recorded. It just goes to show 
that there are still alot of loopholes when it comes to CarFax.

A salvage title on a car can be "washed" much easier than you think. 
Different states use different codes for titles. In some states the 
salvage brand my only be represented by the letter "S", or even just 
a simple number rather than the entire word "Salvage". When the title 
arrives at a new state for processing, the state will try to adapt 
the codes appropriately. If the code used for the salvage title 
doesn't apply (differnt meaning i.e. S = Special Use), or the code is 
unknown, it can be assumed not applicable. When this happens, the 
code is dropped. Data entry is only as good as the resources given to 
a person or machine. A washed title can happen accidently, But it is 
the responsibilty of the owner to pass along the appropriate 
informantion if and when the car's paperwork does not reflect it. 
Just because the paper is clean, doesn't mean the 
responsability/liability has gone away.

Judging the history of a car solely on it's appearance is no way to 
go. Painted or unpainted, you always want to get a good look at the 
underside of a car. Not just for rust, but you should ALWAYS check 
for welding scars on the chassis. DeLorean specific, I would check 
for not just flaking of the epoxy, but variations in color/texture as 
well. You would also want to check for unusual seams or scars on the 
fiberglass underbody as well. As much as I would like to include body 
panel alignment, it's just not always feasable with the DeLorean. 
Evidenced by the eyebrows, the facias are prone to warping. Even my 
rear facia needs to be realigned with my quarter panels a bit. Check 
tire wear for signs of uneveness. When test driving check the 
alignment, etc... If unsure what to look for, bring someone with you 
that knows DeLorean's, if not damage repair in general.

Another good way to check if the owner is telling you the whole story 
about the car is to hit the owner with questions about the car that 
are unrelated to another, and are out of sync. When did you buy the 
car? How many miles are on it? What do you use to wash it? What's the 
fastest you've ever taken it? When was the last oil change? What made 
you want to buy this car? Why are you selling it? How often do you 
vaccum the carpet? etc...

I know it sounds off the wall, but ask questions in a random, 
unrelated order. Always keep shifting gears in the conversation. Some 
questions such as why the person purchased the car/why they are 
selling it can help determine the use/abuse/condition of the car. 
Questions like these should be repeated a couple of times to see if 
the stories match. While he/she may have to think a bit, a good owner 
should have answers that match. Plus, don't be afraid to ask about 
something. If you're going to be putting down your hard earned money 
for a vehicle, the seller/owner should be able to answer all 
reasonable questions about their car. If not, don't be afraid to 
probe why.

Just a few tips to help out seeking you own dream to live...

-Robert
vin 6585