[Turk]

Not really, you are not missing anything.

Since each new car comes with a new VIN number I can see why that would follow that logic. Except our cars DON'T come with a VIN. We apply for them. Since they are rationed , I kind a wondered why not allow the owner use the same number on the replacement vehicle?
The car is totalled, not all the red tape the owner went to get a special construction number. I can see paying the fees and taxes all over again, but why waste a perfectly good SB-100 number because the car is totalled.

The VIN numbers are plentiful, there is no quota on them....that is what I was thinking about.