Ethics and vehicle registration: A Dilemma

I'd ignore it. When it crashes, leave it up to the DMV to figure out where the hell the numbers are.

Or I'd stamp it with a set of those Harbour Freight dies and move on. My trailer has a steel plate with the VIN obviously stamped using those dies, and its riveted onto the tongue. I could fake it up quite nicely if it ever rusts off.

z31maniac wrote: ...If every encounter with the DMV is poor, perhaps one should look at something besides the DMV as the problem.

Well, that's kind of the problem: The DMV is like a box of chocolates....

Why are you working so hard to prove yourself in error?

You bought a trailer, you have a title. Is there a reason for concern? Isn't it possible you missed it?

You are concerned that you can't prove the title matches the trailer. But you also can't prove the title DOES NOT match the trailer.

If there is cause for concern, maybe you have an ethical problem. If you bought it from a drug dealer or a known forger, perhaps.

Short of that, you are just looking for trouble, and stuck in a self-iinflicted non-existent moral dilemma.

And i berkeleying hate chocolate.

How would you attach the vin to the trailer if you registered it as a new build? If it is supposed to be stamped on by the person who first registered it, it is possible they just didn't do it. In this case if you feel inclined stamp in the numbers per NV law and move on. If the state issues you a tag you attach to the trailer, then if you feel like you must have it on the trailer, register it as a new build.

fritzsch wrote: What if you don't explain the backstory and just say you built it? Get a new title, new registration, etc. And burn, bury, do whatever you like to the old title?

this.

in TX, trailers under a certain weight are not required to have a VIN from the manufacturers, so typically what people will do when the buy a used trailer is to go to the DMV and tell them you made a homemade trailer and give them the specs of the trailer, get a new plate and reg tag, and go slap it on the trailer. usually they'll never renew the registration on the trailer and just tow it with the old expired tags until they sell it, can't find the reg documents and then the cycle starts over again with the next owner.

i bet there are a ton of homemade trailers in TX that only get registered for one cycle. check NV law to see if the rules are similar there.

How do you know it didn't have a VIN tag that fell off between when you bought it and now?

I'd assume the vin was lost (fell off) or wasn't stamped in deep enough to be legible. I'd figure out where it should be and put it there. When/if you get pulled over just hand the cop your information and say "the VIN on the trailer is fine. Don't bother checking. It's fine!!!"
The last part is just for fun. If you do it, report back to us.

I love you guys (and gals)! The status quo shall remain.

DrBoost wrote: I'd assume the vin was lost (fell off) or wasn't stamped in deep enough to be legible. I'd figure out where it should be and put it there.

This, you have no reason to think anything here is shady, and no proof if there is.

Swank Force One wrote: And i berkeleying hate chocolate.

You take that back now!!!!

EvanR wrote:

N Sperlo wrote: Needing the VIN is unlikely until an officer is writing up the accident report. Just did one last night with a van trailer.

But did you take the VIN from the paperwork, or did you physically inspect the trailer for a VIN?

Physically took it off the van.