VIN Decoders: How They Can Help You Identify a Vehicle's History

Potissimus, UAB
A VIN number is a vehicle’s fingerprint. It is typically composed of 17 digits and capital letters that signify certain things.
4 March 2019
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Potissimus, UAB (Klaipeda)

Whether you are looking to purchase a vehicle from a dealer, an internet retailer, or some other individual, it is useful to understand the vehicle’s history. Without getting a comprehensive snapshot of the vehicle, you run the risk of purchasing a vehicle that does not meet your expectations. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking you know a vehicle’s history without actually knowing the vehicle’s history.

This can lead to a series of unfortunate events. Not only did you overpay for a subpar vehicle, but it will likely be extremely difficult to sell that vehicle to someone else. You may lose thousands (or tens of thousands of dollars)—all because you did not have accurate information about the vehicle that you were purchasing.

You want to do everything possible to avoid this situation.

Fortunately, there is a solution out there that is not only affordable, but that can provide a complete, accurate snapshot of a vehicle that you are about to purchase. By leveraging a vehicle identification number (“VIN”) decoder, you can gain a wealth of information about a vehicle, which you can later use to negotiate the best possible price.

Even if there is a nominal fee to use a VIN decoder , a VIN decoder can save you significant dollars (and massive headaches) down the road. You will want to take this extra step—regardless of whether you are purchasing the vehicle for business or for pleasure.

VIN Decoder: The Basics

So let’s start with the basics: what is a VIN decoder?

It is simple enough. A VIN decoder is a tool that helps you understand the digits and characters within a VIN number. That naturally leads to the question of what VIN number is. As you may or may not know, a VIN number is a vehicle’s fingerprint. It is typically composed of 17 digits and capital letters that signify certain things. Some of those pieces of data contained in a VIN number include a vehicle’s make and model, the year of the vehicle, the plant where the vehicle was assembled, and even the vehicle’s engine size and type.

With a VIN number, you can discover many things about the vehicle. For example, law enforcement records a vehicle’s VIN number when it is stolen. By having your VIN number, you can identify whether it has a more checkered past than you imagined. You can also use a VIN number to check whether a vehicle has been involved in an accident or if the vehicle has been recalled.

It is relatively easy to find a vehicle’s VIN number. Most often, it is located on the dashboard on the driver’s side of the vehicle. If it is not there, it may be located in other places, including the door post on the driver’s side, on the insurance policy of the vehicle, or on the vehicle’s title and registration.

Clearly, a vehicle’s VIN number can provide a wealth of benefits to you. It can help you avoid a vehicle that is being misrepresented by the seller. That said, once you have found a vehicle’s VIN number, how can you make any sense of it?

This is where a VIN decoder is handy.

A VIN decoder is essentially a way to gather information about a particular VIN number. All you do is insert the VIN number into the decoder. The decoder takes care of the rest. Upon finishing the work, the decoder will (typically) reveal the information described above.

On the surface, a VIN decoder will scan each character and the placement of each character. For instance, the first character of any VIN number is a number or letter representing the vehicle’s country. The ninth digit is a security code which identifies that the VIN number is actually authorized by the vehicle manufacturer. The eleventh digit represents the plant where the vehicle was assembled. The twelfth through seventeenth digits represent the production or serial number of the vehicle. While you could manually look at these characters and match them up with a VIN number dictionary, a VIN decoder will automatically complete this work for you.

There are several websites and services that can help you decode the VIN number of a particular vehicle. For example, carVertical.com is a website that allows you to learn more about the history of a particular vehicle. Other decoders include VIN Decoder by FaxVin. Whichever decoder you use, you will be able to quickly and easily gather extremely valuable information about a particular vehicle.

VIN Decoders: A Simple Case Study

To further illustrate the power of a VIN decoder, it is useful to present a simple case study.

Let’s suppose that you own a small business and intend to purchase a used vehicle for your business. You have a strict budget and are hoping to find a larger vehicle that you can use to transport some of your inventory. After searching for a used vehicle online, you come across one that seems promising. The vehicle is being sold by a used car dealership and you intend to visit the dealership to further examine the vehicle.

After arriving at the dealership, a salesperson takes you to the vehicle. You inspect the vehicle (both the interior and exterior) and seem satisfied with its condition. You even go on a test drive and are satisfied with the vehicle’s performance. The salesperson quotes you a price and you are ready to sign on the dotted line.

However, before you agree to purchase the vehicle, you decide to write down the vehicle’s VIN number and run it through a VIN decoder. Upon returning to work, you find a VIN decoder and input the vehicle’s VIN number. You eventually discover that the vehicle model was recalled and that this particular vehicle had previously been involved in an accident. Armed with this information, you return to the dealership. After explaining your research, you are able to obtain a better price for the vehicle—or perhaps walk away and find a similar vehicle elsewhere.

This is just one simple case study. That said, it goes to show the power of a VIN decoder. A VIN decoder provides you with one of the most valuable commodities out there–information. This information can give you a much better sense of the history of the vehicle, the current condition of the vehicle, and whether you should try purchasing another vehicle. In other words, it can save you from overspending on a lemon and can save you from massive headaches down the road.

A Significant Tool in Your Arsenal

A VIN decoder can be a significant tool in your arsenal—whether you are purchasing a vehicle for business or pleasure.

While you may feel a strong emotional impulse to purchase a vehicle on the spot, we encourage you to be cautious. Take your time, find the vehicle’s VIN number, and run the VIN number through a VIN decoder. Yes, the salesperson or vehicle owner may seem trustworthy on the surface. However, you will want to verify the salesperson’s claims. This extra step may help you avoid a dud and purchase a vehicle that is the best fit for you.

So what are you waiting for? We encourage you to leverage a VIN decoder when purchasing your next vehicle. Your future self is already thanking you.

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