Why are the door labels missing?

[Ed_Strong]

Is it normal/OK for a car dealer to sell a used but relativelly new (2005 model) vehicle that is missing or had the driver door (outer door frame or door post) information labels removed?
I know there's important information on this labels like where the car was built, date it was built and such!
I don't see a reason for the labels to be taken off. I can still see the outline of where one of them was placed and all the glue residue from the other one.
Would'nt that make people think the parts belong to other vehicle (crash, salvage) or even worse, stolen.
Dealer claims its not illegal to own a vehicle with the labels removed and it's not necesary to have them on the vehicle as long as the VIN No is correct and not tampered with.
Anyone has any insight?

[Davescort97]

Your suspicions are well founded. The VC (Vehicle Certification) label contains the manufacturer name, the month and year of manufacture, the ceritificatiion statement and the VIN. It lists exterior paint colors, body type, brake type, radio type, axle ratio codes, transmission or transaxle codes and the district codes. I suspect the missing label/labels contained a different VIN than that which was on the dash. The VIN will tell you the world manufacturer, type of restraint system, body type, engine code, model year, assembly plant and production sequence number. Sooo.....the VIN does not tell whole story.

[tripletdaddy]

I think it's time to kick some dealer's as....
I think they are trying to hide something.
They have no reason to hide or remove it.

I'd make it a contingency of sale to provide some sort of meaningful replacement, at least one that contains that information that is otherwise not available thru the vin.

I think you can do a search thru the DMV or a private service to see if it has a funky past.

[Ed_Strong]

The dealer claims they got the car like that and provided me a vehicle history report that show the car was not involved in any accidents, but even they cautioned that the report can't be thrusted 100% as the car history might not be trully reported.
I inspected the undercarriage, door hinges and frame and can't find any damage or clues that would lead me to think a replacement door was installed as a result of damage.
According to history report the vehicle was purchased as a rental vehicle when it was first put into service.

[northern piper]

this is the sort of story that checks out fine --- until your money clears and then a (insert timeline here) goes by. You'll get a knock at the door and your car gets repossessed.

I'd be really leary of buying this and I'm Canadian

[mundy5]

I concur with all the posts so far. I suspect that either the doors were replaced or that they removed the labels to take away the ability to check up on the history of the car. I'd stay away from it.

[lapin_windstar]

Originally Posted by Ed_Strong

they cautioned that the report can't be thrusted 100% as the car history might not be trully reported.

I don't understand how the car history works - does it rely on the mechanic typing the details of the car and the fix into some sort of big database?

[tartersauce]

Is the missing label on the Door or the Door jam? If on the door Jam or Pillar, the pillar was replaced, repaired and repainted. Its common in accidents the newer the car the more likely it will get repaired because of its value. The older, it will just be totaled and scrapped.

If its just the on the door, The doors been replaced.

Most body shops that Ive been around has always saved the orginal stickers by removing them with a heat gun on the door or pillar. If it was done by the owner, they didnt think anything of it and the sticker is long gone.

One thing you can check on the car tho,
The vin plate should be riveted on the Dash - drivers side windscreen. Not Screws etc..
Most will have stickers on each part of the car. Hood, Tailgate, even fenders will have a white sticker with the vin code on it. White and Blue I think.
That number should match all the other stickers on the car and match the VIN Plate..

Newer Autos have this but dont know what year it started.

Oh also, Im my state, if the car had something happen to it, like say Flood or Damage done. The Key must be Stamped with a F or a letter that matches the damage. F - Flood And must go thru a retitling process to get it back on the road. I think every state has different laws with that.

[garync1]

My 2001 did not come with a door label when I bought it used.. I don't see any where there had been damage or can even tell there was a sticker there to begin with. Sometimes you can see where something was there but had been removed. I don't see that ether. The vin # should hold all the answers you and i need..Just annoying having to pull info off the net..