From the GM side of things, they do put factory sales reps in new vehicles several times of the year, BUT I suspect they accumulate more miles than what is indicated. Due to the miles they have between stores they are responsible for. Those cars THEN go back into the Dealer Auction Network (GM dealers only, not the used car dealer auctions). In other words, not an auction that can be accessed by the general public or otherwise. Even what used to be termed "program cars" went through the these GM Dealer Only auctions.
Once, when GM was promoting their GM Accessory Borla cat-back exhausts, they put the parts reps in extended cab pickups with that system on them. For the parts reps to drive and demo to dealership operatives, for example. A few months later, those vehicles went "to auction" and ended up on GM dealer used car lots.
I concur, go to a GM dealer's service department and tell them you're interested in purchasing this can and ask them to pull up the file on that VIN for you to see where it's been. That will give you a list or warranty repairs, mileages, and dates for that particular VIN. It all happens pretty quickly, too.
IF GM had needed a vehicle that they'd repurchased for study, those things usually last more than just a few months. As was the case with the "piston ring flutter" on Corvettes a while back, relating to oil consumption, there was only ONE title change, I suspect, rather than many.
As these title changes were many with little mileage accumulated between each of them, my suspicion is that something happened to it that resulted in whom it was sold to returned the car for a different one, to the dealer that sold it to them.
Here's a scenario I heard of recently. One of our existing customers purchased a used Tahoe from a dealer in Florida, paid cash (the price was very good!), and drove it back to TX. While in the shop for normal maintenance, it was discovered that the VIN on the vehicle didn't match what was in the vehicle computer. Further investigation revealed the computer-stored VIN also matched other VINs on the vehicle, but NOT the VIN plate viewable through the windshield. State authorities were notified and the investigation began. Plus sales history from the various DMVs.
In this case, the "left hand" part of the VIN was accurate (which defines the vehicle as to mfg, model, eng, and plant. The "Check Digit" is allegedly determined by algorithm, with the last "rh" section of the VIN determining "the build" of the vehicle (options and other content).
The allegedly re-riveted the "new" VIN right over the original VIN plate. Which cost the perps the cost of a new windshield, basically. The altered vehicle had been through many vehicle auctions, including one that had insurance for such things.
So, the local owner had to travel back to FL to get a refund from the seller he bought the vehicle from. Prior to that, the particular vehicle had been through SEVERAL vehicle auctions it its chain of auction sales. Quite a mess! Until it got through the line to the "big auction". Not sure of what resulting investigations happened, but that's another deal.
In the case of the particular vehicle, the term "manufacturers vehicle" does not seem appropriate in the definition I know as "manufacturers vehicle", all things considered. It could be all on the up and up, but more investigations might be needed. There HAS to be a reason for the many title changes.
CBODY67
