Is It Safe To Give Out A Vin Number
Absolutely, Yes. Failure to do so will make anyone interested in buying your car unable to verify some features about the care which you claim your car has. That may make them suspicious of your claims about your car attributes.
VIN is not a sensitive element like a social security number, and there is no harm in giving it out to whoever is concerned. While the Vehicle Identification Number is unique for a specific car, it cannot put your safety at risk if you give it out. Sincerely speaking, some VIN is placed in open areas on the vehicle where anyone can access them easily such as on the dashboard. Besides, you are always driving around every day with your license plate suspended on your car. Also, any license plate can be effortlessly convert to a VIN on the same site.
Review: How To Check A Vin Number For Free
A VIN number is like a cars fingerprintyou can look it up to learn about the cars history.
When purchasing a car, its important to run at least a free VIN check to lookup the cars history and ensure that it doesnt have any open theft or total loss records.
You can also pay for more detailed VIN reports that offer information on a cars service and ownership history, as well as detailed information about the cars value.
What Is A Vin Decoder
A VIN decoder is an online tool designed to assist the automobiles buyers and owners know all the data related to a particular car easily and quickly. To use the tool, you need to input the VIN of the transport you are interested in, in the VIN decoder search bar and then click the “decode” button. Whether you want statistic about your car or you need the information about the auto you want to buy, you will get all the crucial details about it on the screen once you button.
VIN Decoder is absolutely free
In most cases, when buyers go to a showroom to buy a car, they are uncertain about the features of a certain vehicle. Sometimes they are afraid they might end up buying a car with different features rather than the ones they expected. Sometimes they don’t know the origin of the car, the model or even how old it is. If you find yourself in this confusing situation, VIN decoder is your savior. It will eradicate all those fears you have since it provides you with all the vital data about the car you are purchasing.
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How Do We Know Where Our Vehicles Are Made
Here is where you can find UAW made products, vehicles and how to read your VIN.
WHAT IS A VIN AND HOW DO I READ THE NUMBER?
In 1954, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began requiring standardized VINs for all road vehicles.
Most people believe the VIN is just a series of random numbers and letters. But these characters are highly structured codes which have their own meaning. Vehicles from model year 1981 to present have a VIN made up of 17 characters . The prior VIN length and format varied among vehicles.
The VIN can often be found on the lower-left corner of the dashboard, in front of the steering wheel. You can read the number by looking through the windshield on the drivers side of the vehicle.
The VIN may also appear in a number of other locations:
- Front of the engine block. This should be easy to spot by popping open the hood, and looking at the front of the engine.
- Front of the car frame, near the container that holds windshield washer fluid.
- Rear wheel well. Try looking up, directly above the tire.
- Inside the driver-side doorjamb. Open the door and look underneath where the side-view mirror would be located if the door was shut.
- Driver-side doorpost. Open the door and look near the spot where the door latches, not too far from the seatbelt return.
- Underneath the spare tire.
Here is an example of a VINs meaning:
How To Do A Vin Check
A VIN check starts with the vehicles VIN. You can usually find this number on a small plate attached to the drivers side of the front windshield, visible from the outside of the car looking in. The VIN is a combination of 17 numerals and letters unless the vehicle was manufactured before 1981. Vehicles made before 1981 may have a shorter VIN, but they are usually located in the same place on the dashboard.
Next, take the VIN to a government-sponsored VIN check service, such as the National Insurance Crime Bureau or the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System , or to a third-party, private VHR provider.
NICB provides a free VIN check for stolen vehicles, and NMVTIS offers links to multiple VIN check and VHR providers. Remember to access a VIN check website from a computer connected to a printer so that you can print out the report.
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Can I Lookup My Vehicle Specs By Vin Number
Just as the answer was to the last question, yes and no! It depends on what you mean by specs.
The 17 letters and numbers in a VIN include information about where the vehicle was manufactured and who that manufacturer is, the model year, engine type and size, as well as which plant assembled it.
If you are looking for that basic information, the VIN will suffice. But if you want to know detailed specs, such as the horsepower, 0-60 acceleration times, the type of material used for the interior, etc., you will be unable to determine this by using the VIN. This information can be searched for online or perhaps in your owners manual.
Using Other Methods To Find A Vehicle
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Please Read The Following Terms
You understand, agree, acknowledge, and affirm under the penalty of perjury under 28 U.S.C. § 1746 that you may conduct a motor vehicle record search only for a purpose permitted under the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act of 1994 , 18 U.S.C. § 2721, et seq., as amended, and as supplemented or restricted by the laws, rules and regulations of the state from which the motor vehicle record is sought . By proceeding, you represent that you are aware of and understand the requirements and restrictions of the DPPA Laws, and that you are conducting your search for a purpose authorized by the DPPA Laws. You understand, agree, and acknowledge that your use of motor vehicle records for any purpose other than a permitted purpose under the DPPA Laws may subject you to criminal fines for non-compliance and to civil liability in the form of a private right of action, including actual and punitive damages, as well as attorneys fees. You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless InfoTracer.com and its offices, directors, agents, employees, partners, affiliates, licensors, and data providers from and against any third-party claims, demands, expenses or liabilities of whatever nature or kind, due to or arising from your violation of the DPPA Laws. As required by the DPPA, we will retain a record of your request, including your name and permitted purpose.
Checking Whether The Vin Is Authentic
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When To Run A Vin Check
When you buy a used car, a VIN check can save you a lot of trouble. you can avoid buying a car that is stolen, salvaged, or has a severe accident history. It can also potentially reveal an incorrect odometer reading and tell you where the vehicle has been registered.
Knowing which parts of the country the car has been driven in can make you aware of potential hidden problems, such as salt damage under the vehicle from operating in states with icy road conditions.
When you sell a used car, running a VIN check before you put it up for sale can alert you to problems with the title or other issues you are not aware of. You can also offer a VIN check report to potential buyers to boost their confidence in buying your used vehicle.
How To Check Your Engine Size With A Vin Number
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You can determine your engine size provided you know your vehicles VIN number. It is a 17 character code consisting of both letters and numbers and can typically be found in the drivers door jamb or affixed to a plate in the windshield . Your insurance card will also list your VIN .
To determine your engine size with the VIN number, you can decode it using an online tool. The 4th 8th digits in the VIN designate the type of vehicle, including its engine size.
To determine the engine size you will need to run your VIN number through a decoder like VinCheck Pro. This will give you a full report on your vehicle including your VIN number.
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How To Check A Vin Number
1. Find the VIN
The VIN is a 17-digit code used to track vehicles for safety and taxation purposes. Manufacturers stamp the VIN in several places on a vehicle. Heres what it looks like and three easy places to find it:
2. Use a VIN lookup website
Some VIN check websites are free while others charge a fee in exchange for more information on a vehicles history.
Where to find free VIN checks:
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA provides basic information on the make and model of the vehicle using its VIN Decoder. Its VIN lookup tool lists any unresolved safety recalls.
- National Insurance Crime Bureau NICBs VINCheck® shows whether the vehicle is reported as stolen or has a salvage title, a type of vehicle title indicating a past accident or other event that caused significant damage.
- CarsForSale A free vehicle history report here gives you a cars title issue date and history, latest odometer reading, theft history and salvage history. Its one of the National Motor Vehicle Title Information Systems approved providers. More on the NMVTIS in a minute.
Want more information?
These VIN check websites dive deeper into a vehicles history, for a fee:
- CarFax The industry standard, a CarFax report is also the most expensive on this list: $40 for one, $60 for three and $100 for six.
- NVMTIS approved providers These reports range from $3.50 to $16 for one VIN check:
- CarVertical.com $16
3. Review the VIN check report
Does it have a clear title?
Does Vin Number Tell Your Transmission
Yes and no. It is not mandatory that the VIN include information about a vehicles transmission, so some manufacturers do not include this.
However, the newer your car is, the more likely you can find out which transmission your car has from the VIN. If you drive an older car, you might have to look elsewhere to find out exactly what type of transmission you have.
The reason behind this is automatic and manual transmissions. In cars that came with an automatic or manual option, you would not know which transmission your car had by just the VIN alone.
Nowadays, fewer cars even have a manual option, and are all automatic, meaning the VIN can be used to determine transmission as there is often only one type of transmission for that vehicle.
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Finding A Vehicle With Its Vin
Who Does A License Plate Search
People do license plate searches for a variety of different reasons. For the most part, it’s used when someone is thinking about buying a car and wants to get the vehicle history before they make a decision. They know that sellers won’t always tell them about problems with the vehicle. This is a good route to go, if for some reason you don’t have access to the VIN number.
It can also be used if you see someone give your car a minor ding in a parking lot and want to contact them without involving the police. Other people want to make sure that a car that belongs to someone their children may be riding with is a safe car.
It doesn’t matter that much why you want to perform a license plate search. It’s up to you.
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Why Is The Vin Important
As mentioned, your VIN number identifies your unique vehicle. When your VIN is decoded, the manufacture date, the engine size, the model year, and other details can be accurately obtained from your car.
Especially when vehicle repairs or services are being performed, the VIN number will ensure that the correct parts are being installed on your car. That means the right oil filter is being used for your oil changes, and the correct brake sizes, tire sizes, and engine size is known by the technician for repairs.
Its important that you supply the accurate VIN to YourMechanic when you make an appointment or check prices so that we can give you the precise price on parts and labor as well as bring the right components along to do the repairs on your vehicle.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers a VIN lookup that gives you information about the cars make and model, so you can know if its under any recall orders. Knowing about recall orders will help you decide if the car is safe to drive and if its facing any lengthy or costly repairs.
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Who Needs A Vehicle History Report
Anyone who has any stake in a vehicle could get some use out of that vehicle’s history report. First and foremost, that means buyers and sellers. If you’re buying a used vehicle, you owe it to yourself to run the VIN and make sure that your new-used car doesn’t have any major issues the seller forgot to mention. If you’re selling a used car, having the report handy will prove to the buyer that it’s worth the asking price.
