Car-fax conundrum

[Dave-47]

I found a 2002 Mini low mileage, cracked rear bumper cover looked like parking lot or backing mishap low impact. When inspecting the rear hatch area I found water standing in the spare tire tools. The jack had crusted rust so not a new problem everything around near or above seemed to be dry.

Here's the real conundrum. The car started out in NY, auctioned in PA and turns up in Tacoma Washington. The mileage indicates it was probably shipped across country. It is titled with appropriate matching mileage from PA as a GRAY car. A year later and 14k miles it then travels back across country and is titled as a Blue car. Once again the mileage is on the money.

Anyone seen something like this? I checked under the hood, lifted he door w/s and other unexposed areas to verify blue paint. The car was blue everywhere you'd expect to see blue. There was a tag in the engine compartment identifying the paint as Indi Blue. The top has been repainted because there is bit of paint run/over-spray on the upper hatch body frame.
VIN # on dash and in the left door jamb matched. Is there a way to see if Washington DMV mislabeled the paint at registration? I'm worried about the possibility of this car being "re-imagined" between Washington and the east coast. I'm not as trusting and naive as I once was so anyone got any advise?

[Deep_27a]

I dont know about any checks you can do in the US as I am from the UK but if I were in your shoes, id stay away from that car checks or not! Not worth the risk IMO

[Dave-47]

I did walk away but the seller almost met my offer. And did I mention less than 60k miles under 9k US. The car was repoed in late January. The Scots/Irish horse trader in my gene pool makes it difficult to walk away.
It just felt twingy, a bit off.

We have regular police on campus, I may talk to the Chief to get his perspective.

Baring the unexpected my Apollonian will overrule the Dionysian self on this one. Thank you for taking time to read and respond to my post.

[Deep_27a]

Police advice would probably be good but where im from, they are as good as a stick of gum after the juice has gone.

I was watching a television program here in the UK not long ago and car crime is so sophisticated these days that they could get a car through police checks with no difficulty at all. Finding a genuine car is really hard which is one of the reasons why I always lease rather than buy.

The decision is yours.
But all the best however, and do post some pics if/when you buy - we like pics!

[Dave-47]

This is what makes it so hard to walk away. Great looking car and it hangs out in some cool places but so does my Raleigh Bicycle.
The Chief of our University PD told me that DMV's usually don't make mistakes on color designations. I asked if he could check the VIN for original descriptions from the NY registration. He told me he couldn't even do it for himself. It had to be associated with an official investigation. I sent Mini USA an email Thursday night but haven't heard back.
Dither, dither, dither it is the human condition.

Those were the original tires on the "78" Raleigh I dusted it off and started riding it to work when gas hit $4 a gallon. I don't dismount as easily from a traditional men's frame as I once did. The women's fame is a bit more gentle on the danglies. (OK off topic. Maple Leaf for the Olympics. )