Read and Understand Your Car’s VIN with These Tips
A vehicle identification number, or VIN, is composed of individual letters and numbers which provide information regarding your vehicle. Some people decode the VIN for various reasons, including choosing the right part for repairs or upgrades, finding the manufacturer to import it, or they just simply want to verify the make of the car they wish to buy. Whatever your reason for decoding a VIN, you can do so by following these simple methods.
How to find the VIN
First, you have to look for the 17-digit code on your car, which can typically be found on the engine block or on insurance cards. You can also find the VIN via a sticker inside the driver’s side door, on the underside of the hood or fender, or on the dash of your vehicle at the bottom of the windshield. (You’ll have to view it from outside of the vehicle to read it right side up.) If you still haven’t found the VIN, check in any documents you received when purchasing the vehicle.
Use an online VIN decoder
Next, you can use an online VIN decoder like the one at carvertical.com/vin-decoder to learn more about your vehicle. Although not all offer this, you may be able to search for your vehicle’s details with its VIN on the manufacturer’s website. Using an online decoder can help you decipher the numbers and meanings behind the VIN, including vehicle specs, pricing, color options, MPG, and additional helpful details.
Understand the meaning behind the numbers
You need to understand the letters and numbers of the VIN in order to get the full meaning of the code for your vehicle. The first character will tell you the origin of the vehicle, as in where it was made (which is different from the manufacturer location). The second and third digits describe the manufacturer where the third digit is the manufacturer’s exact division. The following five numbers are called the “vehicle descriptor section,” which includes the brand, type of vehicle, and size of the engine. Most of the remaining numbers have to do with creating a unique identity for your vehicle, so it’s easy to differentiate it from others.
Although the VIN may look confusing or daunting, it can be easily understood with the right methods and tools.
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