How to know about Vehicle Identification Number ?

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What VIN Number ?

A car's vehicle identification number (VIN) is the automotive equivalent of human "DNA".

It sets the vehicle apart from the millions of other vehicles out there. Since 1981, it has been consisted of 17 digit characters. It displays a vehicle's uniqueness and heritage and provides a form of "factory to scrap yard" identification. It can be used to track recalls, registrations, guarantee, warranty claims, thefts and insurance coverage.

Each character or digit has a particular purpose. VIN number does not include the letters I (i), O (o), or Q (q) (to avoid confusion with numerals 1 and 0).

A Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN, is stamped onto a small metal plate and usually fixed to the driver's side of the dashboard so that it is visible through the windshield. It is used by police in case of theft, insurance companies in case of accident, manufacturing companies for recall, mechanics or anyone that has a need to identify the vehicle or its attributes.

However vehicle manufacturerscan stamp the VIN anywhere they want; frequently the engine block will have the VIN number stamped on it.

How to understand vehicle's VIN ?

A VIN is basically a serial number for your any car or truck . It is 17 characters long and is a mix of numbers and alphabets. It is divided into four parts :

1. World Manufacturer's Identification (WMI - three numbers or letters) 2. Vehicle Description Section (VDS - five numbers or letters) 3. The VIN Accuracy Check Digit (one number) 4. Vehicle Identification Section (VIS - eight numbers or letters)

• The first character identifies the manufacture's country. • The second number or letter identifies the car manufacturer. • The third character is for vehicle type or manufacturing department, • While the fourth through eighth characters identify attributes of the vehicle, like body style (like sedan, hatchback, SUV) and engine type. • The ninth digit uniquely identifies the car, ensuring that no two cars within a 30 years period will have the same VIN number. • The 10th character is the model year, • The 11th is the assembly plant. • The 12th to 17th identifies the sequence of the vehicle rolling off the production line; the last four characters are always numeric.

Use of VIN's while buying a used car :

There are many things a seller may not disclose to you, such as a salvage title, flood damage or an odometer rollback. Any of these and other issues can affects the safety, performance and even value of a second hand vehicle.

To make it more difficult for you to learn a vehicle's history, crooked or cheater sellers may list the wrong VIN in an online vehicle advertisement or may not be willing to provide the VIN at all. A buyer should ask seller to provide VIN number. So in case seller hide or refuse to disclose the VIN, that could be a sign of that seller do not want you to learn vehicle's history.

Buyer can get the VIN from seller and can get the car history from several online website or some agencies reports like CARFAX report. If VIN do not match, you may avoid the deal from seller.