Interesting VIN number on 68 Barracuda

It doesnt matter what the state laws are. Altering a VIN is a federal offense.
Also, selling a vehicle "as is" does not protect a seller from selling a vehicle with an altered VIN.
It also does not protect the seller if he intentionally commits fraud or does not disclose known defects.

A guy I know bought a boat "as is" from a guy who said the boat was in good shape.
He even went for a ride in it, but the seller would not let him drive, saying that too many people just wanted to take it out and beat it. After the guy bought it and took it out for the first time, he realized that something was wrong with the outdrive. He called the seller and the seller told him that he bought it "as is". The boat had a marina sticker on it, so the buyer took it to the marina to see about getting it fixed. They told him that the seller had brought the boat in and had been told the repairs would cost several thousand dollars. The buyer sued the seller, and the seller was forced to pay for the repairs.

So, "as is" does not protect you if you intentionally try to defraud someone. The courts are even less lenient with businesses because they are supposed to be experts.

And even if you buy something "as is", you may still have rights.