Different people are guided by distinct motivations to invest in junk cars for sale. Car enthusiasts buy old junk cars for sale to add to their collections, mechanics seek spare parts and flipping options, and ordinary folk are drawn by their affordability. Whatever the case, it is important to know the history of options under your consideration before taking a pick. You can access the information from providers such as Carfax and AutoCheck. In all cases, you need to know the car’s VIN number.
What is a VIN Number?
When it comes to cars, there are some things that you need to be really aware of. One of these is the VIN number. This number is very important for you as an owner or future owner of a car if you plan to get one from a salvage auction.
The salvage VIN number or the chassis number, has 17 characters that provide access to information on the vehicle. VINs have been in use since 1954; however, it was not until 1981 when the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) came up with a standardized format that forbids the use of alphabets I (i), O (o), and Q (q) to avoid confusion with numerals 1 and 0.
This number is basically your car’s ID and a lot more. It tells the whole history of the vehicle. With only a salvage title VIN check, you can find out everything about this car when it comes to the options included and history. Vehicle Identification Number, But more on that we will cover in a bit, now let’s take a look at the structure of the VIN number.
Structure of a VIN Number
Each VIN in modern vehicles is composed of 17 characters. Although it is called a number, in reality, the VIN is composed of a mixture of letters and numbers. The number is separated into a few chunks that convey specific information. This structure is standardized globally and consists of the following sections:
- World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI): The first three characters identify the manufacturer and the country of origin. Let’s take for example “1HG”. This represents Honda models made in the USA.
- Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS): Characters from 4 to 9 provide info about the model, body type, engine, and other features. The last 9th digit is a character used to detect fake VINs.
- Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS): Characters from 10 to 17 point to the vehicle model year, plant where it was made, and its unique serial number.
Importance of VIN Numbers
Now let’s see why VINs matter a lot.
- Vehicle History Reports
The VIN number tells a lot about the history of the car. Once you do a salvage VIN number check, you will learn plenty about this vehicle you intend to purchase from the auction. These include ownership history, registrations, accident records, service history, and a lot more.
This data will be essential for you to determine whether or not this particular vehicle is good for you or not. A salvage VIN check will save you from a ton of trouble in the long run.
- Theft Recovery
Another good purpose of a VIN number is theft recovery. For example, if your car was stolen in the neighborhood, the only way to identify it is by performing a salvage car VIN check.
The police will locate this number and perform a VIN check on it. Then, they will find the owner’s name and contact the owner.
- Regulatory Compliance
Cars also need to meet regulatory compliance. There are many safety recalls and emission standards that must be met. VIN numbers play a vital role when it comes to these aspects.
- Insurance & Financing
And last but not least is insurance and finance. Insurance companies use the VIN number to determine the vehicle history and risk factors that affect how much premiums you will have to pay.
They will perform a salvage VIN check to see the history of the car and determine the premiums you will have to pay.
How to Use a VIN for Vehicle History Reports
When looking to purchase a vehicle from AutoBidMaster, performing a salvage title VIN check is a must. You have a certain amount of free VIN checks depending on the level of your membership. You can also pay for a report on Carfax or AutoCheck. So, what does this report give you?
- Ownership History: One of the main reasons why future buyers opt for a VIN check for salvage title is the previous ownership history. It is very useful to know how many owners the vehicle changed and how often these changes were done.
- Accident and Damage Reports: History reports also include previous damage. If the car was involved in an accident, you will see that in the report.
- Title Information: Information about the type of title is also present in these reports. The status can be clean, salvage, rebuilt, junk, or a lemon.
- Odometer Readings: With these reports, you also have an odometer reading. This is how you can verify the mileage of the vehicle and avoid fraud.
- Service and Maintenance Records: Another reason why to get a free VIN salvage check is because this report gives you all of the service records. With this report, you will get all of the service history and see how the car was maintained.
Overall, these reports are a great way for buyers to make an informed decision and avoid potential problems.
Locating the VIN
While inspecting the salvage vehicle of your choice, make sure to look at the following places for its VIN:
- Below the wipers or on the bottom right hand side of the windshield
- Inside the door jamb on the driver’s side
- Under the hood
- Underneath the spare tire
- Rear wheel well (above the tire)
How To Decode The VIN Number?
VIN is not a collection of random characters, as every number and letter has a meaning. Let’s discuss what the characters mean to help you arrive at informed and prudent purchase decisions.
Characters 1-3
First three alphanumeric characters of a VIN tell about the manufacturer and the vehicle’s country of origin, also known as World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI). The first character tells about the manufacturer’s location. The code on position 2 signifies the vehicle’s country of origin. Different codes are designated to provide information about the vehicle. For example, numerals 1, 4, and 5 are for vehicles manufactured in the US. The third character identifies the manufacturer and the vehicle’s category. If the manufacturer produces less than 500 units of the model in a given year, the third digit will be 9. In such cases, the 12th-14th digits will be designated by a regulatory authority.
Characters 4-8
Characters 4-8 provide detailed description about the vehicle, including body and engine type, series, restraint, and model. It is known as Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS). Different manufacturers use distinct encoding techniques to display information. We recommend that you seek the services of an auto enthusiast/mechanic when decoding to avoid confusion.
Character 9
The 9th character in the VIN can be any numeral between zero and nine, or ten (signified as X), and is provided to check the validity of the VIN number. You can use the number to perform calculations and check characters to ensure the validity of the VIN.
| 10t character | Year | 10th character | Year |
| A | 1980 | S | 1995 |
| B | 1981 | T | 1996 |
| C | 1982 | V | 1997 |
| D | 1983 | W | 1998 |
| E | 1984 | X | 1999 |
| F | 1985 | Y | 2000 |
| G | 1986 | 1 | 2001 |
| H | 1987 | 2 | 2002 |
| J | 1988 | 3 | 2003 |
| K | 1989 | 4 | 2004 |
| L | 1990 | 5 | 2005 |
| M | 1991 | 6 | 2006 |
| N | 1992 | 7 | 2007 |
| P | 1993 | 8 | 2008 |
| R | 1994 | 9 | 2009 |
Character 10
The 10th character signifies the model year. Any of the 30 approved characters are used to display this information. A glance at the following chart will help you understand the year signified by each character:
Character 11
The 11th character identifies the plant and its location. You can use this information to contact the plant if you want to learn more about the specific model.
Characters 12-17
The last six characters signify the production line numbers and can help you gather information about the vehicle if the manufacturer changed production specifications after producing a few units. For example, if the manufacturer changed specifications for mirrors for your model, you can study the characters to know where the vehicle was in terms of the production line during the change.
FAQ about VIN Numbers
1. What is a VIN Number and Why is it Important?
A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a unique 17-character code. Although a number, it is a combination of letters and numbers. This VIN number is located around the vehicle. Usually in a few different places. Such as the windshield, door jambs, or engine bay.
What is important about the VIN is that this number acts as a fingerprint for your vehicle. This number tells the whole story about your car. Such as the country where it is produced, the year, the model, options that are included.
In addition to this, with a simple VIN check, you can get the whole history of the car. This includes the previous owners, type of title, maintenance records, and a lot more.
2. How Can I Find the VIN on My Vehicle?
The VIN number is a Vehicle Identification number that can be found in various places around the vehicle.
The most common place to find the VIN is the windshield. Take a look at the driver’s side, you can clearly find the VIN plate attached to the dashboard.
Also, look at the door jambs, you will see some stickers. One of these stickers is holding the VIN number.
On some cars, you can find the VIN in the engine bay as well. Besides the car, you can also find the VIN number on the title, registration papers, and issuance documents.
3. What Information Can Be Decoded from a VIN?
Every VIN can be decoded and once decoded, it will reveal a ton of information. For example, the manufacturer and the country of origin. These are usually the first three characters. From 4 to 8, you have the vehicle model, body type, engine, and other features. The 9 digit is used to verify the VIN’s authenticity. Number 10 is the model year, 11 is the manufacturing plant, and from 12 to 17 you have the unique serial number for that specific vehicle.
4. Why Should I Check a Vehicle’s VIN Before Purchasing?
Checking a vehicle’s VIN before purchasing provides valuable insights into its history. This information includes previous ownership and registration details. Records of previous accidents, damage, and repairs. Title status, for example, clean title, salvage title, rebuilt title. Odometer readings. In addition to this, you also have a service and maintenance history. All of this data will save you a bunch of money in the long run by avoiding problematic vehicles.
5. Can Two Vehicles Have the Same VIN?
The VIN number is unique. This means that there is a single car with this number in the whole world. No two vehicles can have the same number. All this guarantees that each vehicle can be uniquely identified and tracked. This is crucial for maintaining a reliable vehicle history and for other purposes such as recall, theft recovery, and insurance claims.
6. How Do I Verify the Authenticity of a VIN?
To verify the authenticity of a VIN, you can cross-check the VIN across multiple locations on the vehicle to ensure that it’s consistent. You can use an online VIN decoder tool to decode this information. You can obtain a Carfax report. Also make sure that the VIN matches with the one found on the title, registration, and insurance documents.
Last few words
Decoding the VIN is a must when investing in junk cars for sale. The information that you gather in the process helps you arrive at prudent purchase decisions as it links you to the car’s history. AutoBidMaster is just a call away if you need more information on decoding the VIN or want to buy a salvage vehicle that meets your needs. Browse through our inventory featuring 70,000+ vehicles or call us at +1 (503) 298-4300 to speak with experts. Alternatively, you can also fill out our contact form and one of our representatives will get back to you, shortly.
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