Consumer Law

Used Car History At Your Fingertips

By Kemnitzer, Anderson, Barron, Ogilvie & Brewer

Car buyers in the market for a used car now have a powerful tool to protect against dealer fraud, title washing, sale of rebuilt wrecks and other deceptive practices. The National Motor Vehicle Titling Information System (NMVTIS), a nation-wide database of used vehicle history is up and running. Consumer advocates have fought for many years to establish such a national public database for used cars and trucks. The car industry fought back and successfully stalled the implementation of this important mandate for a long time. But the waiting is over.

Rosemary Shahan, the executive director of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety and a tireless advocate for California drivers, emphasizes, "For used car buyers, this is the most valuable information, at the lowest price. Consumers should check this database first, then if they want more info, check Carfax and Experian. And of course ALWAYS get a vehicle thoroughly inspected by a trusted auto tech / body shop BEFORE agreeing to buy it."

Beginning in January 2010, every state now contributes to this valuable internet resource. Shahan is optimistic when she says, "Keep in mind that the national database has been receiving reports from over 8,000 insurers and junkyards, from all 50 states, and the data has to be updated every 30 days." The NMVTIS website itself cautions that it is only as good as its various sources, warning that there may be some variation in state reporting requirements. Although not foolproof, NMVTIS is an important step toward highway safety.

Full post as published by Lemon Law Blog on March 10, 2010 (boomark / email).