What is a VIN? 

Are you shopping for a new-to-you car and noticed that a VIN is included on the listing? What is that? VIN stands for Vehicle Identification Number, and it’s something like a social security number for every car sold in America.

Where can you find your VIN?

The easiest place to find the VIN on your vehicle is to stand by the front driver’s side wheel facing the back of the car and look through the windshield in the lower right corner of the dashboard. You will see the number printed along with a barcode.

If the number is missing from that area, open your driver’s side door and look at the frame.

The exact digits can appear in up to 14 different locations on your ride. Some vehicles require more VIN badges if they are determined to be high-theft risks. The specific spots are not shared with the public. Every VIN badge on the car must have the same 17 digits.

The VIN also appears on your sales agreement, the MSRP sticker, your title, registration, insurance policy, and in many instances, in your dealership service center records.

What does the VIN tell you?

The vehicle identification number is like a fingerprint for your car, truck, or SUV. Its 17-digit combination is unique to your vehicle.

The first three digits refer to the automotive manufacturer and the country of origin. The following five tell you about its engine, body style, model, transmission, etc. The ninth digit is a security check that verifies the first eight numbers and letters are a legitimate combination.

Next, it tells you the model year, which plant assembled it, and finally a serial number assigned by the manufacturer. When the VIN is entered into their records, it creates a full report of every feature included on the car when it left the factory.

Why did the VIN become a requirement on every SUV made?

The VIN came into existence as a consumer protection tool. Early serial numbers were often attached to removable parts like a glove box door and were not standardized. This made it easy for scammers to take a stolen or damaged car, chop it up into bits, attach a false number plate, and resell it as like-new and with a fake title.

Today’s number was standardized in 1981 and the VIN is readily shared between automakers, insurance companies, and law enforcement. This makes it very difficult to take a car damaged in a wreck and resell it with a clean history.

Should I check the VIN when buying a used car?

Every car listed for sale by any dealer in America — brick and mortar or online–must include its VIN.

By running its VIN through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall check tool, you can see if that particular vehicle has any outstanding recalls. It’s instant and it’s free. The website also features the specific model’s safety ratings, owner complaints, investigations, and recommended service updates.

It is also possible to request a complete background check from CarFax or the dealership. The report will state whether the car’s title is clean, whether it was ever stolen, whether there were insurance claims for damage and its routine maintenance records.

Checking the VIN is always a smart idea before you make an offer on any pre-owned vehicle.

Beach Boulevard of Cars Checks the VIN for You

If you shop for a new car in the Huntington Beach area, you can buy confidently at the Beach Boulevard of Cars. Every pre-owned vehicle on our lots comes with a complimentary CarFax report, which shows the car’s history based on its VIN. Come take your dream machine for a test drive today!