The Power of a VIN
Every vehicle has a unique, 17-character code that, when scanned, can tell you just about everything you need to know about that vehicle. Without a VIN decoder, the code will just look like a string of capital letters and numbers. But with the right VIN decoder, you can instantly find out:
• The year the vehicle was manufactured
• Its country of manufacture
• The factory where it was built
• The make, model, and trim of the vehicle
• The vehicle’s serial number
With some powerful systems, you can also find out additional information about the vehicle without having to look it up separately. For example, with Logisuite’s VIN Decoder for vehicle exporters, you can find the following:
• The vehicle’s dimensions
• The vehicle’s weight
VINs offer important information for vehicle sellers, buyers, and anyone who transports vehicles.
VIN Validators
VINs also have a built-in “check digit” for validating the vehicle’s identifying information. It is the 9th digit in the string, and it is required for vehicles in North America and some other countries. With the check digit, a VIN validation software program can instantly tell if there is a problem or error with the vehicle identification number.
Here is how it works: Each letter in a VIN has a number counterpart. When you take all the letters and substitute them with their appropriate number, then take those numbers and multiply them against a weight factor table, you’ll get 16 numbers. Then, you add the 16 numbers together and divide by 11. You’ll get the check digit as your remainder. (If the remainder is 10, then the check digit is displayed as X).
However, you don’t have to worry about doing the math yourself! If you have a VIN validator program, such as Logisuite’s VIN Decoder for vehicle exporters, all the work will be done for you—instantly.
With Logisuite’s solutions, not only will you be able to rapidly decode and validate VINs, but you can also benefit from a suite of connected software solutions to help your business run more smoothly each day. You can get your free trial or contact us. Don’t hesitate to contact us with questions—we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. We look forward to working with you!