# Tracking down a car **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [July 19, 2018, 11:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tracking-down-a-car/121326 "2018-07-19T23:16:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hollywood1974](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7bcc69/32.png) [@Hollywood1974](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Hollywood1974)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 11:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tracking-down-a-car/121326/1 "2018-07-19T23:16:04Z")
How would someone track a car down that they once owned but after an accident, the insurance company sold the car at a salvage auction? ---
**Author:** ![COROLLAGUY1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/corollaguy1/32/7575_2.png) [@COROLLAGUY1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/COROLLAGUY1)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 11:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tracking-down-a-car/121326/2 "2018-07-19T23:56:37Z")
This site might help you.Clean title means that the vehicule could be track down by the VIN # [https://www.ibidsafely.com/?promo=googleadM\_salvage%20damaged%20cars%20for%20sale&gclid=CjwKCAjw7cDaBRBtEiwAsxprXRvsIdRBZwCQ2T1qcMwTXOoTEVDMUAWD5j4olj6\_8nKrkbulfvP9LRoCkx0QAvD\_BwE](https://www.ibidsafely.com/?promo=googleadM_salvage%20damaged%20cars%20for%20sale&gclid=CjwKCAjw7cDaBRBtEiwAsxprXRvsIdRBZwCQ2T1qcMwTXOoTEVDMUAWD5j4olj6_8nKrkbulfvP9LRoCkx0QAvD_BwE) ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 11:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tracking-down-a-car/121326/3 "2018-07-19T23:58:59Z")
That thing has probably been stripped of useable parts and the rest of it crushed and recycled. I can’t imagine why you would want it back . ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 12:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tracking-down-a-car/121326/4 "2018-07-20T12:56:14Z")
If it’s a 1981 or newer and you have the 17 character VIN you can try carfax. That should give you some idea on where it might be. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 1:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tracking-down-a-car/121326/5 "2018-07-20T13:04:14Z")
You didn’t say how you plan to identify it. The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is the only way to positively identify the car. If you don’t have it, you might contact your insurer or your MVA to cross reference your license tags or policy number to the VIN. If you have old insurance cards or paperwork, the VIN should be there. ---
**Author:** ![Hollywood1974](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7bcc69/32.png) [@Hollywood1974](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Hollywood1974)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 1:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tracking-down-a-car/121326/6 "2018-07-22T13:10:22Z")
I have the VIN number and have used the power of the Google search to look for it. I find multiple websites that show the car being sold at something called a Carport auction last June. I have not found anything since. I think I want to know what the fate of the car was because I feel guilty about selling out to the insurance man and letting it go. The car still ran great but after it got hit, it needed a new bumper, hood, front left headlight, hood latch and one place said the frame needed a slight adjustment to make it razor straight. Due to the age and value of the car in question, the insurance salvaged the car and paid me off. I accepted payment because I could not get a straight answer from a few insurance companies on if they would insure a salvage car. I also had the option of not reporting to the person’s insurance who hit me and fixing myself but I got nervous at the amount of money I might spend. I know the car has a salvage title but I think I want to know what happened to it to know if I made right decision or if it will be one of those things in life that you always regret. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 4:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tracking-down-a-car/121326/7 "2018-07-22T16:20:20Z")
Maybe it’s Copart? They specialize in salvage auctions. [https://www.copart.com](https://www.copart.com) Poke around the web site and see if there is info on past sales. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 5:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tracking-down-a-car/121326/8 "2018-07-22T17:10:39Z")
> [@Hollywood1974](#): > > I know the car has a salvage title but I think I want to know what happened to it to know if I made right decision or if it will be one of those things in life that you always regret. You made a decision, good or bad but it’s a done deal. Just forget it. One of my favorite quotes is from Martin Luther who said “sin boldly”. He meant that you fret over what to do or decide but once you do it, go forward without regrets or looking back. Go on with your life. I sometimes wonder what happened to my 60 Morris or my 59 VW or 59 Pontiac or 61 Corvair. They either had a happy life after me or were turned into a Ford or something. It’s an everlasting life for sheet metal. ---
**Author:** ![BillRussell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/billrussell/32/3179_2.png) [@BillRussell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BillRussell)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 5:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tracking-down-a-car/121326/9 "2018-07-22T17:14:06Z")
If the insurance company paid you off, they did not repair the car, they sold it as is. I would guess to a junk yard. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 5:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tracking-down-a-car/121326/10 "2018-07-22T17:43:23Z")
I this is one of your regrets in life you are VERY lucky. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 7:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tracking-down-a-car/121326/11 "2018-07-22T19:10:45Z")
I’d like to know just what kind of car we’re talking about Depending on what it is, a shop may have fixed it and put it up for sale ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 7:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tracking-down-a-car/121326/12 "2018-07-22T19:49:46Z")
Water under the bridge, close that chapter my advice.