What is it with car dealers throwing away documentation???

[Mark E.]

I'm in the market for a low mileage 91-94 6-speed coupe and found one at a local "Corvette Warehouse" used car dealer in Dallas. It's a 40th anniversary coupe with 13,xxx miles and looks great in the photos. The listing claims... "It is in excellent showroom condition and has been highly maintained."

When I call, one of my first questions is "what documentation do you have for the car?"

"We throw away all documents with the prior owners' name on it."

"What!? Why on earth would you do that?"

"To protect the privacy of the prior owner."

"Crazy. Then how do I know it is highly maintained?"

"We saw the service records before we threw them away."

I got so turned off I decided to keep looking. I know this practice is not unusual for car dealers. But for discriminating buyers, it makes the car significantly less valuable. I'm surprised dealers that specialize in special interest cars don't get that. I'm not buying a three year old Kia. (Even then, I would like the documentation.)

I think I'll focus on a car for sale by the owner.

[Richard M.]

Re: What is it with car dealers throwing away documentation???

Yes, The dealers do that. I traded in my '06 Silverado, bought new in Sept '05, last fall for a new GMC rig. I had a folder of original info, window sticker, etc.

I asked the Sales manager if he wanted it. Answer was no for anything with my name on it. I said I didn't care but new owner may want it.

But one packet of info was the custom wiring I did for a remote starter. I took my name off the receipts, but had wiring diagrams with special wiring and relay notes, along with all user info etc. I told him he must pass this info along for safety reasons. The remote starter I installed used a double pulse circuit at the door lock/unlock circuit. I.E., a double click on the stock Remote FOB button within 3 seconds kicks in the remote start, or stops it. You could also use the door panel lock button 2X to start.

Once I started getting technical in my reasons to him, along with a comment that if it was me being the buyer certainly would want it, he said, "Yes I better pass that packet along!"

Hopefully he did.

Come to find out, since it was 15 years old with less than 60K miles, excellent Florida no rust 4x4 loaded SLT, the auction bound rig was actually bought and kept by the auction company owner himself.

My sales guy told me that a while later when I went back for my free oil change on the new truck.

Rich
PS I just sold my 59 Corvette and her 72 Jag and all 35 and 30 years respectively, worth of paper work, yearly work, logs, etc, went along too. The Corvette stack was about 2 inches thick. The Jag folder, about 2 feet thick....lol.

[Mark E.]

Re: What is it with car dealers throwing away documentation???

Yes, The dealers do that.

Rich
PS I just sold my 59 Corvette and her 72 Jag and all 35 and 30 years respectively, worth of paper work, yearly work, logs, etc, went along too. The Corvette stack was about 2 inches thick. The Jag folder, about 2 feet thick....lol.

This is why I really want to buy from a long-time owner. Do the high-end used Corvette dealers like Corvette Mike or Pro Team throw away documents?

PM with any leads for a super clean 91-96 6-speed coupe (not ZR-1) with under 20k miles.

[Patrick B.]

[Bill M.]

Re: What is it with car dealers throwing away documentation???

I bough a restored 65 convertible 15 years ago from Corvette Mike and there was not a lick of paperwork with the car. I don't know if he had any but there was nothing with the car. My son sold his highly modified CTS V Caddilac to a dealer. The dealer sold the car with all of the paperwork that my son had given him regarding performance modifications. H has been getting calls once a week. With a highly modified car I would say it is very important that paper work go with the car.

[James G.]

Re: What is it with car dealers throwing away documentation???

I traded my 31,548 mile 96 POLO GREEN convertible in February. The dealer did not want all the history including window sticker. I still have all the paperwork . I talked to the sales manager who said the car is sold. He said he would give the new owner my number. NO response, so I bet he did not.

[Harris B.]

Re: What is it with car dealers throwing away documentation???

With an ever growing family I decided to trade in my 1985 Corvette in 1993 for a Chevy Caprice (LTZ as I recall). Knowing that the dealer would likely toss out my original window sticker and related documentation, I decided to hide the window sticker along with a note from me (including my phone number) underneath the tub of the rear compartment behind the passenger seat. I doubted the dealer would actually remove the tub to see if anything was there. About two months later I received a call from the new buyer. He was thrilled to connect with me. I was able to dig up some other original documentation and gave it to the new owner. The trade in dealer sold the car (probably at auction) to a local used car dealer. The used car dealer gave the car a cheap paint job and sold it for about $3,500 more than my trade in dealer gave me on trade.