Please help identify this vehicle

[south17th]

I hope someone can help identify this vehicle. Thanks very much in advance for any assistance you can offer.

[ADme]

Is it really a car!? it looks like a woman silhouette!

[NewToCarBuying15]

Hello, I am looking at buying a 2002 civic. Actually, I made an offer on the car yesterday. The seller accepted the offer, but wasn't home.

So, that was weird. We decided to meet this evening to make the transaction. I showed up with the money. He was late, but had the title.


The title was assigned from an out-of-state owner to Carmax in my town. Then, it was reassigned to two different dealers. The final purchaser listed was a dealer, and this turned out not to be the man I was buying the car from. He said this was his friend, from whom he'd purchased the car. And he said his friend could attach a paper to reassign the title to me. Can he do that?


This all sounds fishy--or am I wrong in thinking that?


So I copied down the car's VIN. It is 1HGES15522L030999. I am already thinking of backing out of the car deal, and I hate spending $35 just to find the history at this point. Does anyone here have a way to do this? (I would be very appreciative!)


Also, there is a mileage discrepancy. On the first two transfers of ownership, the mileage said "387955." The next transfer said "Exempt." The odometer currently reads about 97000. Did some illegitimate happen here?


Thanks for any and all help!

[FishFind]

call you dmv and have them check the vin to see who has the most current title. every time a new title it overrides any older ones. also a 2002 with 400k that is not good

[MagicRat]

This has to be the most surreal thread AF has had in a long time.

As for the OP, its really difficult for someone to ID a car based on a partial window view. Hopefully someone can do it.

Hi, NewTo, welcome to AF.

Stay away from the Civic. You describe a common disreputable selling technique called "curbsiding" where dealers pretend to be private sellers to sell problematic cars that, for a variety of reasons, the dealer itself does not wish to sell.

In this case, its obvious someone has rolled-back the mileage on the odo. This is really illegal, but is surprisingly easy to do if you know how. So, imho stay away from the Civic. It's got fraud written all over it!!!

[NewToCarBuying15]

MagicRat, Thanks for your advice. I'd never heard of curbselling. One additional thing to look out for on Craigslist, I suppose.

Also, I'm surprised to hear that it's easy to roll back the mileage!

[Ol'Jim]

I am thinking it is a 1977-1981 Olds Cutlass, (or one of it's GM cousins - Pontiac Grand Prix, Chevy Monte Carlo).
And yes, Magic Rat, this is the most surreal AF thread I can recall...

[MikeNobles]

I would have to agree with the advice to stay away from this Civic. In most states a car is only exempt from mileage disclosures if it is over a certain age, usually 10 years or older. The Civic would only qualify for exempt status as of this January.

And it does smell of curbside selling.

[AddisonLimoService]

I agree as well regarding Civic as it is a customized car. If I had enough money I would have bought a limousine.

[wolclan429]

the vehicle could a jeep commander, it looks like a square back but thats not a great pic

[wolclan429]

[it sounds mighty fishy in fact it smells to high heaven the DMV was a good answer yet I would leave this alone a deal to good to be true is not a deal, the old floks would say brought sense is the best you can get , do not buy this just to learn some sense

[fiveuoften]

what can i do for you?the pc is not very well.just take another!

[automadman691]

How very odd!!!!!!

Haven`t got a clue what that is.

[Mangoamerican]

i think it looks like the newest bodystyle bronco.

[oldblu65]

Looks like a 2012 partially completed snowman ( or woman ) ?