From digest.v5.n698 Thu Dec 12 15:00:38 1996
From: Rick DeNatale <denatale_at_mindspring.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Dec 1996 10:45:12 -0500
Subject: <misc> VIN explanation request

pelphrey_at_metrolink.net (pelphrey) wrote This is a decoder I got off of this digest, and now I'm returning it
there. My apologies to anyone for whom this displays as great gobs of
gibberish. If anyone wants the original DOS-delimited text file, email
me and I'll send it back to ya. (It's only 2K.) Incidentally, can
anyone explain why my VIN won't work here? It's WBADK7300D7959991. The
part that doesn't work is the "7" at the beginning of the last seven
digits. It's supposed to denote plant of manufacture, but there's no
"7" on this list. Also, don't know how the Spartanburg plant fits into
this. I'm making no guarantees as to the accuracy of this, please
correct it (me) if it's wrong.

Decoding Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)

Well let's try it against the serial number of my 96 Z3

VIN number:                             4US CH73 2 8 T L B75270

                                         |   |   | | | |   |
                                         |   |   | | | |   |
Mfg. Code                                |   |   | | | |   |
 WBA -- BMW-AG, Munich                   |   |   | | | |   |
 WBS -- BMW Motorsport Gmbh, Munich------+   |   | | | |   |
 4US -- BMW US?                              |   | | | |   |
                                             |   | | | |   |
Vehicle Description Section                  |   | | | |   |
   CH73 Model Code ---------------------------+   | | | |   |
                                                 | | | |   |
                                                 | | | |   |
Restraint System                                 | | | |   |
 0--Manual Seat Belts                            | | | |   |
 1--Manual Seat Belts with Supplemental----------+ | | |   |
       Restrant System                             | | |   |
 2-- ? My car would fit with Manual with SRS       | | |   |
                                                   | | |   |
Check Digit----------------------------------------+ | |   |
                                                     | |   |
                                                     | |   |
Model Year                                           | |   |
 A--1980  D--1983  G--1986  K--1989                  | |   |
 B--1981  E--1984  H--1987  L--1990                  | |   |
 C--1982  F--1985  J--1988  M--1991------------------+ |   |
 N--1992  O--European Model P--????                    |   |
 Q--????  R--???? S--????  T--1996?                    |   |
                                                       |   |
Plant of Manufacture                                   |   |
 A--Munich                                             |   |
 B,D--Dinofing-----------------------------------------+   |
 E--Regensburg                                             |
 L-- Greer, SC                                             |
     says Spartanburg is the nearest 'City'                |

Serial Number (6 Digits)-----------------------------------+

Rick DeNatale
Still Looking for a cool signature
denatale_at_mindspring.com
http://www.mindspring.com/~denatale/