The Expert Podcast

Episode Show Notes: 
  • Thinking of buying a car, truck, or any motor vehicle? Make sure you run the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) first.
  • A VIN search helps uncover the vehicle’s background, including possible issues with the title history.
  • One of the easiest online tools to use is VinArching.com – just enter the VIN and get a report instantly.
  • A VIN report can tell you:
    • If there are title problems (e.g., salvage, junk, parts only).
    • Whether the car has ever been in an accident.
    • If the seller is telling the truth about the title history.
  • Be cautious of sellers who claim, “I lost the title,” when they never had it in their name.
  • A VIN check may also reveal:
    • Unpaid registration fees or back taxes attached to the vehicle.
    • Liens that could block your ability to register or title the vehicle.
  • Even private sellers and dealers can hide the truth—don’t rely on their word alone.
  • Performing a VIN check is part of due diligence to avoid costly surprises.
  • Remember: Anyone selling a car online is technically a used car salesperson—always verify.
  • Avoid buying a "pig in a poke." Know what you’re getting before you pay.
  • Browse our channel for more helpful videos on vehicle titles, VIN checks, and fraud prevention.

What is The Expert Podcast?

The Expert Podcast brings you firsthand narratives from experts across diverse industries, including private investigators, general contractors and builders, insurance agencies, vehicle specialists, lawyers, and many others.

So, if you're looking to purchase a motor vehicle or need to get information on a car or truck, you want to run the VIN. You want to check the background of that vehicle history to run a background of that title. And there's a couple ways you can do it, but one of the best online ways you can do it is this website here. It's vinarching.com. And it's a website where you can just type in your VIN number, hit enter, and it'll give you a print out of the vehicle history. It'll tell you about things on the vehicle that may prevent you from getting a title. It may tell you about the last title history. May tell you about brands on the title. Is it a junk vehicle? Has it ever been in an accident? Is it parts only? Is it a salvage? This way, when you're buying the vehicle, you'll know about what happened to that vehicle in the past and the VIN number reports. You'll also be able to tell if the seller is telling you the truth about their title history. Sometimes sellers will tell you, "Yeah, I had this car title in my name."

Your video will be back in 8 seconds. In the meantime, remember you have access to live one-on-one consultation, undivided attention of a licensed certified expert in this subject and many others. We want to listen to your story. We want to hear your questions and give you expert advisement of your options. We want to tell you what we know about your situation and what options you have. Now, back to your video. I just lost a title. When in fact, they're flipping it. They never had the title in their name. They just got it from somebody, never got a title, and they're trying to pawn it off on you.

There's a lot of other things that a title history will tell you that you want to know before you buy it. First of all, are there any back taxes? Such as if the person who owned it didn't pay their registration, they didn't pay their fees, and now that's attached to the vehicle where you have to pay for it. Uh there's also the possibility of leans, which if there's a lean on a vehicle, that might block a title.

Either way, if you're going to invest money in a vehicle, especially from a private sale, but even from a dealer, you want to make sure that the VIN history, the vehicle history is something that you have full knowledge of. You performing your due diligence and not just taking the word of the seller. Look, the most clichéed liar in history is called a used car seller, used car salesman—not even just at dealerships, but anybody selling a car on Craigslist is technically a used car salesman. They're trying to sell you the car, get you to give them money for a piece of metal.

Unless you know what that VIN search says and what that vehicle history says, you're buying a pig in a poke and could get stuck with fees or not being able to get a title. If you like this video, be sure to click on a few others on our channel to see if there's other information that might be helpful to you about this same subject or maybe even other related subjects that could assist you with your resolution of your issue.