CVA Advanced Vehicle Identification & History Analysis 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is NMVTIS and what role does it play in vehicle appraisal?
- National Motor Vehicle Title Information System; a federal database tracking title brands, odometer readings, and total loss history across all states (Correct answer)
- National Mileage Verification and Title Inspection Service; a private subscription service
- National Motor Vehicle Trade and Insurance System; an insurer data-sharing network
- National Market Value and Title Index System; an appraisal industry pricing tool
Correct answer: National Motor Vehicle Title Information System; a federal database tracking title brands, odometer readings, and total loss history across all states
NMVTIS is a federally mandated database that aggregates title brand data, odometer records, and junk/salvage designations from all 50 states and major insurers.
Question 2: An appraiser finds a vehicle with a VIN beginning with 'WBA.' Which manufacturer does this identify?
- Volkswagen
- BMW (Correct answer)
- Mercedes-Benz
- Porsche
Correct answer: BMW
WBA is the World Manufacturer Identifier for BMW AG vehicles manufactured in Germany.
Question 3: Why might two vehicles with the same model and year have different 8th VIN characters?
- They were sold in different states with different registration requirements
- The 8th character encodes the engine type or restraint system, which varies by trim and powertrain option (Correct answer)
- One vehicle was manufactured in an odd-numbered year
- The 8th character encodes the original dealer's zip code
Correct answer: The 8th character encodes the engine type or restraint system, which varies by trim and powertrain option
Position 8 encodes engine type or restraint system information, which differs across powertrain configurations within the same model year.
Question 4: A CVA discovers an odometer discrepancy between a vehicle history report and the current odometer reading. What is the required action?
- Ignore it if the discrepancy is less than 10,000 miles
- Document the discrepancy in the report, note the potential impact on value, and flag it as a possible Federal Odometer Act violation (Correct answer)
- Accept the lower mileage reading as the true mileage
- Contact the previous owner directly to resolve the discrepancy
Correct answer: Document the discrepancy in the report, note the potential impact on value, and flag it as a possible Federal Odometer Act violation
Odometer discrepancies must be documented, valued appropriately, and flagged as possible violations of the Federal Odometer Act, which prohibits tampering with odometers.
Question 5: What does the phrase 'VIN cloning' mean in the context of vehicle fraud?
- Legally assigning a new VIN to a rebuilt salvage vehicle
- Illegally applying a legitimate VIN from a clean-title vehicle to a stolen or salvage vehicle (Correct answer)
- Duplicating a VIN for fleet management tracking purposes
- Importing a foreign-market vehicle and assigning a domestic VIN
Correct answer: Illegally applying a legitimate VIN from a clean-title vehicle to a stolen or salvage vehicle
VIN cloning is the criminal practice of applying a legitimate VIN (often from a clean-title vehicle of the same year/make/model) to a stolen or salvaged vehicle.
Question 6: Which of the following is a secondary VIN location that CVA appraisers commonly check during fraud investigation?
- Inside the glove compartment door
- Engine firewall stamping (Correct answer)
- The trunk lid inner surface
- The fuel filler door
Correct answer: Engine firewall stamping
The engine firewall typically bears a stamped or labeled VIN that should match the dashboard plate and is a primary secondary verification point.
CVA Advanced Vehicle Identification & History Analysis 2
What is NMVTIS and what role does it play in vehicle appraisal?