VIN Numbers and decoding them

[Cubicle23]

There is a subset of the collector car market that can read ancient texts. These folks can look at a VIN number and see that this car was born as a straight 6, vinyl roof, in green, for example (Steve Magnante is a ridiculous example of this skill set) .
Since VIN numbers are used as legal ID of sorts for vehicles , is this coded info required or is it just the factory using it for internal reasons?
Slates will roll off the line as identical base trucks but will be SUV's in any color, etc... Are the VIN numbers going to tell us how the Slate was ordered? i.e. SUV from the start, with a lift kit, and power windows? I suspect that the VIN may just be sequential production numbers of a base truck unless the additional info is required to be part of it. Looking down the road it will be interesting to try and decode a particular vehicle's starting point and its evolution .

 

[kvermeer]

A while ago, someone posted a VIN and VIN decoder. Can't find the PDF right now, but it was back when one of the letters was code for 150 or 240 mile range.

Here's a thread with a link, I'm on my phone now and can't track it down:

https://www.slateforums.com/forum/threads/insurance-working-with-my-agent.15097/post-241940

The post above has a sample VIN from a test vehicle.

 

[DinoLord]

Simply knowing the VIN will not give info on options, just model, 'engine' size, and type.

 

[E90400K]

US NHTSA has a really good VIN decoder.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/vin-decoder

Other internet VIN decoders have model specific information regarding paint color and standard/optional equipment. It is information available from the manufacturer's database. They keep it for a whole host of reasons.

Obviously it helps with recalls.

 

[D’Roc]

Simply knowing the VIN will not give info on options, just model, 'engine' size, and type.

Yup. The next purchaser of my cars will never know from the VIN the “mandatory” and “valuable” items such as fabric protection, wheel locks, VIN etching, etc, that the Dealerships have tacked on my purchases.

 

[AZFox]

Slates will roll off the line as identical base trucks but will be SUV's in any color, etc... Are the VIN numbers going to tell us how the Slate was ordered? i.e. SUV from the start, with a lift kit, and power windows?

I think the whole one-SKU concept is about avoiding this kind of thing. The vehicle is produced as a Blank Slate with a VIN, then accessorized.

If a color is included in the VIN, it will be Slate Gray.

 

[tubes]

I think the whole one-SKU concept is about avoiding this kind of thing. The vehicle is produced as a Blank Slate with a VIN, then accessorized.

If a color is included in the VIN, it will be Slate Gray.

I really hope this "conversion" thing has been properly vetted with the state authorities and insurance companies. I can't wait to see if I'm going to be fighting with the tax office when they decide my Blank Slate is valued per the SUV version. (We pay property taxes each year based on market value, and it appears the state always chooses "highest value" per SKU.) Same with the insurance companies.

 

[Cubicle23]

I really hope this "conversion" thing has been properly vetted with the state authorities and insurance companies.

Also if/when you get stopped and the reg comes back to a grey pickup but its now an orange suv

 

[kvermeer]

I really hope this "conversion" thing has been properly vetted with the state authorities and insurance companies. I can't wait to see if I'm going to be fighting with the tax office when they decide my Blank Slate is valued per the SUV version. (We pay property taxes each year based on market value, and it appears the state always chooses "highest value" per SKU.) Same with the insurance companies.

In many states, you'll have to file a registration information change with the DMV and your insurance after installing a wrap that changes the main color of the vehicle.

Not sure about pickup to open-air to SUV conversions...I never did anything when I added or removed the soft top and rear seat of my old Jeep CJ5.

 

[tubes]

In many states, you'll have to file a registration information change with the DMV and your insurance after installing a wrap that changes the main color of the vehicle.

Not sure about pickup to open-air to SUV conversions...I never did anything when I added or removed the soft top and rear seat of my old Jeep CJ5.

Interesting! I searched NC's DMV and don't find anything about wraps. A.I.'s answer says, you don't have to notify DMV, but you better tell insurance. (AI, however, has been terrible in answering DMV questions.)

If I learned anything about insurance, tell them everything about changes in your vehicles, and especially household, all the time. They will otherwise find ways to deny claims.

 

[Frozen North]

VINs are just serial numbers for cars.
Only the last few numbers will be different on slates, as those tell you which vehicle yours was in the production line.

Since all slates leave the line the same way only the year (digit 10) and the last 6(specific vehicle number) will change.
VINs have been this way since the early 80s

 

[slp]

VINs are just serial numbers for cars.
Only the last few numbers will be different on slates, as those tell you which vehicle yours was in the production line.

Since all slates leave the line the same way only the year (digit 10) and the last 6(specific vehicle number) will change.
VINs have been this way since the early 80s

The check digit (character 9) may also be different.

 

[007]

Also if/when you get stopped and the reg comes back to a grey pickup but its now an orange suv

The cop may initiate a felony stop for their own safety. Keep both hands on the steering wheel and don't reach for the window crank.