What is a VIN?
A VIN is a peculiar alphameric code that car makers use to identify their vehicles. The number can be used to track a vehicle and download its history. If there is any information recorded about the vehicle, it can be retrieved when the VIN is known.
The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of your car depends on the year it was manufactured. Cars made before 1981 have 11 characters in their VIN, while those produced after 1981 have 17 characters. Both types of codes are useful and can be worked with.
A vehicle identification number (VIN) is a unique code that identifies a car and its history. When you run a VIN check, all the available information on the car connected to the number comes up.
VIN Decoder Guide
VINs are not just random strings of letters and numbers to identify vehicles. Each character in a VIN carries meaning from the information about the vehicle.
This free VIN decoder tool https://epicvin.com/vin-decoder can check for necessary information about your vehicle. It is also a convenient tool when shopping for cars. Understanding the meaning behind each character in your VIN code can help you make a more informed decision about what car to buy.
Significance of the first three characters in a VIN code
The WMI stands for “world manufacturer identifier.” The first character tells you where the vehicle was made. For example, cars made in the United States have a number 1, 4, or 5 for their first character in their VINs, while cars made in Canada have a VIN that starts with 2. Vehicles manufactured in Japan have J as their first character; vehicles manufactured in Germany start with G, and so on.
The second character refers to the brand of the car (i.e., the car manufacturer). For instance, A stands for Audi, B for BMW, and so on. This is tricky because some brands have similar symbols. The letter A can also stand for Jaguar or Mitsubishi; however, if you see an R , then you know it’s an Audi.
The third character in this grouping, combined with the first two, tells you what kind of vehicle it describes. It tells you whether it is a truck, an SUV, or a car. So if you see “1GC,” then that means it’s a Chevrolet truck.
Significance of the following six characters in a VIN code
The first five characters of the VIN (fourth to eighth characters) identify the model type, transmission code, engine code and body type. The last character in the VIN (ninth character) is often a check digit developed by the department of transportation to ensure that the VIN is valid and registered by the country. It is used to verify whether a car is real or counterfeit.
Significance of the last eight characters in a VIN code
The tenth character in the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is called the “year indicator.” It is used to identify the year a vehicle was manufactured.
The eleventh character in a vehicle’s VIN number refers to the production plant where the vehicle was put together. Each car manufacturer has its own plant code.
The last six characters of your car’s VIN (the twelfth to the seventeenth) are called production numbers, and they identify that particular car. For example, the first one off the assembly line will have “000001” as its production number. You can use this free VIN decoder tool to decode it.
Conclusion
When you decode your VIN, you will discover the meaning behind each digit in the code. In the article above, every part of the code has been broken down and explained. You can use this information to determine whether or not your car is authentic or a replica.
