Reading Vehicle Identification Numbers and Why it Matters

Learning how to read a VIN (vehicle identification number) is very important, particularly if you intend to purchase a used vehicle. You must be savvy as a consumer, and knowing how to locate the VIN, knowing what each alphanumerical character means, and knowing how to use this number to identify the car, are invaluable skills. Hopefully, the following information will help you to figure out the importance of a VIN lookup and how to perform one.

VIN History

Cars haven’t always had a VIN, but it has been a legal regulation since the 1980s. They have to follow a specific standard as well. Now, all vehicles have between 16 and 18 alphanumerical characters in their VIN, which is a standardized process. Because it is standardized and applies to all car makes and models, it is very easy for a car buyer to learn all the information they need to know about a vehicle that they want to purchase without having to speak to the manufacturer themselves.

Step by Step VIN Reading Instructions

1. Find the VIN on the vehicle. It is usually in several places in a car, with the easiest one to reach being under the windshield’s front side. It is very small, but it is clearly there if you look through the glass’ tinted area, which is found near the dash. Because it is in the dash, it cannot easily be removed. Usually, the number is engraved on a metal plaque, or it can also be a printed plastic tag. VINs also exist on motorcycles and are placed on the steering head.
2. Get to know the digits. The first three digits represent the make and model of the car. The fourth through eight digit tells you the model’s specs. Digit nine gives the VIN its authentication. 10^th is the year the model was developed, which doesn’t have to be the year in which it was sold. 11^th was the location of manufacturing. The other characters are the unique serial number of the vehicle itself.
3. Get a VIN report. Once you have the VIN, you also have to look it up. There are numerous services available to enable you to do this, mostly online. When you submit the VIN, you will receive a full history report of the car you are considering. Do make sure, however, that you choose a service that actually gives you an accurate report.

As you can see, knowing how to read a VIN number could save you both time and money, not to mention a great deal of frustration. It is a simple, but incredibly valuable task when it comes to buying a used car. Forgetting to do it, or not being bothered, could cost you dearly. For all you know, you may be in the process of buying a car that has been recalled, one that was totaled in an accident in the past or, perhaps worst of all, a car that has been stolen.