The VIN is an identifying number used by the automotive industry worldwide. With the VIN, you can recognize a vehicle as a unique example, preventing fraud.
The VIN is an identification number for each vehicle used by the global automotive industry to identify a unique car. This standard is valid for all types of vehicles, including motorcycles, scooters, and vehicles. The VIN consists of 17 characters and cannot include the letters I, O, or Q
- The first 3 digits of the VIN identify the vehicle manufacturer worldwide.
- The next 6 digits of the VIN are called VDS (vehicle description section) and identify the vehicle’s general characteristics.
- The last 8 digits are called VIS (vehicle identifier section). This series of numbers identifies aspects of a particular vehicle. In this series, for example, the type of engine and type of transmission is specified.
Why is it important to know the VIN of a car?
When reviewing a used car that you plan to buy, it is important that you physically check the VIN and verify that it matches the vehicle’s official records. If the VIN is erased, poorly readable, or with clear signs of tampering, these may indicate that it is a case of cloning. A car with a clear VIN that matches the vehicle’s registrations is a sign of transparency that you should demand from the seller.
Where do you find the VIN of a car?
The following image summarizes the most common places you can find the VIN:
The VIN is composed, in the case of modern vehicles, of 17 digits, where through some codes, we can know the country where the vehicle was manufactured, the brand, the manufacturer (brand and manufacturer do not have to coincide), the type, the production number, etc. There are also cars with 18-digit VINs. They are those who have undergone a replacement of the part where the VIN is stamped. From the factory itself, the stamped part is sent to the workshop with the original VIN followed by an R. You can get all information about the vehicle from the Free VIN decoder.
The exception is always older vehicles, whose VINs do not have to be 17 digits long. This data is especially important to historians and collectors. Certain VINs can mean a much higher value, such as the first unit of all, or the one that identifies a very specific car, such as Elvis Presley’s BMW 507 Roadster.
There are pages, such as https://checkcar4free.com/with, in which you can know the VIN and chassis number that have been registered for ONE vehicle in the civil registry. In this way, you can avoid fraud when, for example, buying a used car.