VIN # vs. engine serial # -- any correlation ?

Not an expert, but... my understanding is that cars built in the last couple decades heve the VIN number stamped in the major components, including the engine, to identify valuable parts that might get funnelled through "chop shops." I don't know where the markings are, though.

Mike

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replacing an engine in a Subaru...? Don;t buy it!

Wilco

"X--Eliminator" schreef in bericht news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

It could have been hit.

I think a CARFAX would be a cheap and easy way to tell if it's been lost, stolen, damaged or otherwise. A '99 shouldn't need a new engine unless it's got a ton of miles on the clock or was in a wreck. For cheap price of a carfax report it is a world of "peace of mind".

Alternatively, call the guy's shop who supposedly did the repair and he should have it on file somewhere perhaps.

Mike

FWIW, I have limited faith in Carfax. It showed my daughter's Honda used to be a fleet car, although the title showed I bought it from the original owner, a private party who bought it new. Carfax also didn't mention that it had been stolen and recovered, as the owner admitted.

Mike

A friend was tossing a lot of faith into carfax... I gave him the VIN to two cars of mine -- both junk yard recoveries.... ie: Salvage Titles.

One was in a wreck so bad, it was easier to cut the frame & re-weld most of it. The other was rolled & was part of a drunk driving, vehicular homicide investigation.

Both these cars showed up as clean titles.

A BMW I just bought would show me as the 2nd owner, however, I have contacted 3 of the owners.. so; I'm at least the 5th owner (didn't talk to original owner & there may have been another person in the line).

My take on carfax is this:

if it shows an accident, it probably was in one. if it shows clean -- then do more investiagation.. We used carfax for the BMW purchase only to verify millage... it was pretty acurate.

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like I said... if it shows an accident then it's a pretty sure deal.... same goes for stolen. if nothing shows, then you are out $10 and keep investigating. I believe in taking the path of least resistance.

Skip all this messing around and losing sleep. Skip this car as it sounds like headache and find another with a clean record.

I agree with your take on Carfax. It's not infallible, it's just one tool among many (your eyes are probably the best tool) that should be used.

As far as the original poster's question, you should follow-up with the repair shop where the engine work was performed. If they have no service records, I'd pass on that car. Owners that aren't careful enough to keep service records probably aren't that careful with service. There are enough 98's and 99's out there worth buying that you can afford to walk away from this one.

I wouldn't necessarily walk away from this deal as others have recommend. This car may have had the shortblock replaced due to piston slap that affected the '99 DOHC engines very commonly. If that is the case, then I would consider the "engine replacement" a definite advantage!!