What does a car VIN code refer to?
3 Answers
Car VIN code refers to the Vehicle Identification Number, which is a code that identifies the manufacturer, engine, chassis number, and performance of a vehicle. The car VIN code consists of a group of seventeen alphanumeric characters and is a unique number for the car. Its meaning varies among different countries or car manufacturers. The functions of the car VIN code are: 1. Helps in recording the vehicle; 2. Assists in recording changes of vehicle ownership; 3. Anti-theft. The meanings of the digits in the VIN code are: 1. Positions 1 to 3 represent the World Manufacturer Identifier; 2. Positions 4 to 8 are the vehicle descriptor section; 3. Position 9 is the check digit; 4. Positions 10 to 17 are the vehicle identifier section.
My neighbor Old Zhang just bought a used car the other day and was telling me about this VIN code thing. It's like a car's ID card—a 17-digit alphanumeric combo packed with info. The first three digits are the World Manufacturer Identifier, revealing if it's a BMW or Toyota; digits 4-8 indicate model features like engine type; the ninth digit is a check digit to prevent fraud; the tenth shows the production year (M for 2021, R for 2024); the last six are the serial number. When I help people inspect cars, I always cross-check the VIN at the lower-left corner of the windshield—if it doesn’t match the nameplate, steer clear, no matter how cheap the car is.
Last time when accompanying my friend to pick up the car at the 4S dealership, the salesperson specifically taught us how to read the VIN. This 17-digit code engraved on the chassis is extremely practical—the first three letters indicate the manufacturing origin, like LFV for Audi made in China and JTM for Lexus made in Japan. The middle digits reveal the safety configuration level, while the ending numbers record the production sequence. When inspecting the car, I scanned the VIN with my phone, and it even displayed details like the tire brand and airbag count. I heard that last year's cracked case of cloned vehicles in our area was exposed precisely due to VIN discrepancies. Now when buying used cars, I always check this code's history first.
