National vehicle history database goes live

[Analog]

WASHINGTON (AP) - A national database that allows consumers to view the history of used vehicles went into effect this year, but federal official said Tuesday that some states are not contributing vehicle records to the system. The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System allows potential used car buyers to check the title, odometer reading, accident history and other information for a fee of less than $5.
The system was first proposed in the early 1990s, but was stalled until consumer protection agencies took legal action forcing the federal government to enact the program. It is currently administered by the Justice Department.
All states, insurance carriers and junk yards are required to submit data on vehicles to the system, and states were required to comply by Jan. 1.
But the District of Columbia and four states—Oregon, Illinois, Mississippi and Kansas—have yet to submit records, saying they don't have enough money for the computer upgrades and clerical work needed to take part.
Justice Department officials said they are working with the states. Even without their participation, roughly 80 percent of registered vehicles in the United States are included.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.

 

[TruePaige]

Very cool. Only 4.95.

Direct Link:
http://www.nmvtis.gov/nmvtis_vehiclehistory.html

 

[thescreensavers]

I just got one for 3.75 from autotitleinfo.com which is listed there on the page.

I paid and there is nothing on the damn page..., This shit sucks. I want my money back.. lol

 

[jlee]

How long 'till Carfax gets upset?

 

[Throckmorton]

Public option is bad. We should be happy with Carfax.

 

[TridenT]

Public option is bad. We should be happy with Carfax.

Wtf? Why?

Carfax is a fucking rip off. $30 for one report. $35 for ten(Which expire after 30 days)... or $40 for unlimited for 30 days. WTF?! That's a huge ripoff.

 

[zoiks]

Public option is bad. We should be happy with Carfax.

I don't know if you're joking or whether you're plain retarded.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Very cool. Only 4.95.

Direct Link:
http://www.nmvtis.gov/nmvtis_vehiclehistory.html

I guarantee that it costs more than $4.95, the rest of it is just hidden in your neighbors' tax bills.

ZV

 

[StageLeft]

carfax is $30 now? What a damned rip off.

 

[TruePaige]

I guarantee that it costs more than $4.95, the rest of it is just hidden in your neighbors' tax bills.

ZV

Federal laws require the information to be reported to a master database.

From there it is just one computer sending it to another computer. Shouldn't be that expensive.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Federal laws require the information to be reported to a master database.

From there it is just one computer sending it to another computer. Shouldn't be that expensive.

Lolz, OK. As someone who works in Enterprise level computing I'm just going to let you know it's not always as easy to do as it is to say.

 

[Gibson486]

Lolz, OK. As someone who works in Enterprise level computing I'm just going to let you know it's not always as easy to do as it is to say.

LOL...as someone who designs SCADA systems, I have to agree.

 

[Raduque]

I guarantee that it costs more than $4.95, the rest of it is just hidden in your neighbors' tax bills.

ZV

This. Damned thing should be free.

 

[ElFenix]

Wtf? Why?

Carfax is a fucking rip off. $30 for one report. $35 for ten(Which expire after 30 days)... or $40 for unlimited for 30 days. WTF?! That's a huge ripoff.

autocheck finds more stuff anyway.

though their unlimited isn't really unlimited. while looking for cars on craigslist and ebay i ran the VIN of every car i was interested in. took less than a day to get an email stating that i had gotten to some threshold where they would consider me a dealer.

 

[DietDrThunder]

What I want is a way to see a vehicle history of a vehicle I sold so I can see if it has been crushed, or if someone still owns it so I can buy it back. I had an '84 Camaro Berlinetta that was awesome, I wish that I had never sold it, and I'd like to buy back if I could find it. Or even an owner history of the classic car I currently own. If the original owner is still alive, I'd like to talk to the guy. That would be useful information for me.

 

[zoiks]

I wonder what's going to happen to carfax and autocheck now.

 

[Throckmorton]

I don't know if you're joking or whether you're plain retarded.

I'm joking. Haven't we been hearing about how evil public options are for 8 months?

This is pretty awesome. Why wasn't this done a long time ago? Certain industries are stuck in the dark ages-- all data on a car, including every oil change and maintenance, should be in a database. Same for medical records. Why do I have to fax crap from one doctor to the other?

 

[Zenmervolt]

all data on a car, including every oil change and maintenance, should be in a database.

Do you have any idea at all how many small independent mechanics this would put out of business? Many are using computer systems that still run on DOS. It's ridiculous to think that they should be required to send their records to some central database. Besides, who's going to pay for that central database? I sure as hell don't want to. It's just not worth it.

ZV

 

[vshah]

I'm joking. Haven't we been hearing about how evil public options are for 8 months?

This is pretty awesome. Why wasn't this done a long time ago? Certain industries are stuck in the dark ages-- all data on a car, including every oil change and maintenance, should be in a database. Same for medical records. Why do I have to fax crap from one doctor to the other?

privacy concerns, for one...

 

[angry hampster]

There is no reason to buy a carfax or autocheck report if you're buying from a dealer. If they won't provide one for you, you shouldn't buy the car.

 

[hanoverphist]

LOL...as someone who designs SCADA systems, I have to agree.

i design scada systems as well!

go go SI power! lol

ill still go on the premise that any car i buy will be from a dealer, and they will supply the reports if they want to sell me a car.

 

[SJP0tato]

carfax is $30 now? What a damned rip off.

It's now $35 for ONE report, $45 for FIVE. I guess this is their backlash for people "sharing" their 30 day unlimited reports.

 

[TridenT]

It's now $35 for ONE report, $45 for FIVE. I guess this is their backlash for people "sharing" their 30 day unlimited reports.

Wow...

I'm definitely making sure I have someone just run the VINs for me instead now. I'm never using that shit again. :awe:

 

[Throckmorton]

Do you have any idea at all how many small independent mechanics this would put out of business? Many are using computer systems that still run on DOS. It's ridiculous to think that they should be required to send their records to some central database. Besides, who's going to pay for that central database? I sure as hell don't want to. It's just not worth it.

ZV

Give them all computer terminals with as much automated as possible. It'll stimulate the tech industry.

Or just store everything on flash memory in the car itself, with the VIN number hardwired into it. A few bucks for sensors tied into the ECU, and a car will be able to record every fluid change. It could also store accelerometer data tied to crashes. Other things would have to be entered manually.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Give them all computer terminals with as much automated as possible. It'll stimulate the tech industry.

If you want to pay for it all, great, but keep your mitts off of my wallet (and everyone else's) while doing so.

Or just store everything on flash memory in the car itself, with the VIN number hardwired into it. A few bucks for sensors tied into the ECU, and a car will be able to record every fluid change. It could also store accelerometer data tied to crashes. Other things would have to be entered manually.

1) Many cars already do have a "black box" that stores a rolling 30 seconds of control input data as well as speed and G-forces.

2) "A few bucks for sensors"? Really? Sensors that can tell when tires have been rotated? When a wheel bearing has been changed? Whether the timing belt was done (and, if so, whether the rollers and pulleys were changed too)? Sorry, there's just far too much on a car for this to be practical. There are far too many parts on a car for "a few sensors" to be able to track maintenance data; it just plain isn't practical.

It's not the government's job to look after people who are too stupid to perform basic checks when they're purchasing a used product.

In any case, I'm done discussing the political aspect because I don't want to go down that rabbit trail here.

ZV