After about 7 years, if the car isn't in the system, it gets purged.
Without the VIN, DMV won't help you and the Rebecca Shaefer killing and subsequent law restricted access to any files. No vin will make it difficult to track down.
That's what I was afraid of. I don't have any of his paperwork about the car, and I never knew the name of the guy who took the car. it either got tossed when his apartment was cleaned out, or lost in various moves since then. I have a number in my head for what I THINK the license plate was, but I have no way to confirm.
I don't want to just go 'welp no vin, time to give up' but I'm just not sure what else to do.