VIN strangeness

Van called Finally · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 8:52 am Post subject: VIN strangeness

My insurance company called yesterday asking about the VIN number on my van. Apparently, the underwriters have discovered some kind of error in the number. I'm perplexed. I just bought the van, so I'm not sure of it's history.

VIN# WV2TB0258LH098783

Based on the decoders on-line, it looks like the 4th number is causing the error. I thought that I might have read the VIN incorrectly, but I looked at the 4th place over and over again at it looks like a "T" to me. The VIN plate on the dashboard matches the VIN sticker on the door jamb. Is there another place I can look to find a 3rd confirmation?

The van was checked out by the Washington State Police and still has their checked sticker on it showing that it wasn't a stolen vehicle.

Has anyone else run into something like this?

mightyart · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 8:58 am Post subject:

http://vanagon.com/info/vin/
They don't list a "T" here.
U - 1980-91 Single-Cab Pickup (Pritschewagen)
V - 1980-91 Double-Cab Pickup (Dopplekabine)
W - 1980-91 Panel Van (no windows in sides)
X - 1980-91 Kombi
Y - 1980-91 Bus (Vanagon)
Z - 1980-91 Camper

floggingmolly · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:05 am Post subject:

Maybe it's a bad "Y"?
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'85 Wolfsburg Weekender

Van called Finally · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:18 am Post subject:

Does anyone out there with the straight up Vanagon have a funny looking "Y" in the 4th position on the VIN? I'm wondering if that's the issue.

PDXWesty · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:40 am Post subject:

Can you get a good picture of it?

My vin is definitely WV2ZB

How about a carfax search?

floggingmolly · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 11:18 am Post subject:

What does your title say?
_________________
'85 Wolfsburg Weekender

BlackDogVan · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 11:33 am Post subject:

I had a few very painfull conversations with federal vehicle inspectors when i imported my 91' from washington into canada. Their software was convinced that my van was a bus and therefore needed a commercial inspection.!?! It was amazing how many different people there knew what a vanagon was & still couldn't get it in their head that there could be a possible error in their vin tracking/ decoding software. after talking to 3 different people who agreed it was wrong but couldn't do anything about it I started requesting to speak with a dept manager. Then I magically got a reply that they indeed had a known error in their program & I could pretend that the time I spent on the phone having stunned conversations with stunned button pushing automotons never happend & I wouldn't be contacted in the future.

So yes there are certain years that the vin code has errors or the format changed & created problems.

Van called Finally · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 11:57 am Post subject:

The Carfax report has a clean history of the van back to 1993. No damage reported. A few failed emissions tests, but nothing shocking.

The Van doesn't have a title. It was previously purchased in an auction without a title. I purchased it with a bank agreement of ownership. I was leary of this, but went to the local DMV rep here in Washington and they said that they see these quite often with older vehicles.

Interesting about the incorrect VIN number thing. I wonder if that's what's going on with this one. BlackDogVan, you said you had a '91. Was your van built in 1991? Or was it built in June of 1990? Mine was built in June 1990 according to the sticker on the door jamb. I wonder if it's the same issue.

Very interesting...

bucko · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 12:16 pm Post subject:

I too ran into a problem when I registered my Vanagon in Florida. I had the German TUV paperwork (TUV is like our DOT in the states), but the German title did not match the VIN stamped on the dash plate; the title had 4 "x's" before the last set of numbers.

The lady at the DOT made a not of it, and issued a Florida title anyway.
_________________
Current VW drives: 1984 Westfalia

Past VW drives: 1967 Beetle, 1973 Beetle, 1977 Bus, 1971 Military Type 181

Christopher Schimke · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 1:04 pm Post subject:

Ken Letherer · Samba Member Joined: October 24, 2006 Posts: 15

I have a 90 and the VIN is clearly a Y.

Vanaman · Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 7:52 am Post subject:

What is up with my Vin? Can't find any decoder for it, just seems to skip over it and beings that it is ten digits vin look up sites won't take it.
#25A0125899
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'80 Westy "The Hummingbird Messanger"

syncrodoka · Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 8:36 am Post subject:

The VIN for the '80 is different than the '81 and up. The decoder won't work for that year.
http://www.type2.com/bartnik/vin.htm

Vanaman · Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 8:47 am Post subject:

Ok, can anyone tell me what my vin says about my Van?
_________________
'80 Westy "The Hummingbird Messanger"

SockMonkey · Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 10:19 am Post subject:

They "Y" on my van is also VERY VERY clearly a "Y". The two upper lines of the "Y" meet nearly half way down the height of the letter. and the lettering is like 3/8" - 7/16" tall
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'85 Vanagon GL

strawhouse · Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 4:48 pm Post subject:

I had some issues with the vin on the doka, it was a ZZZ vin from Germany. Long and the short of it the MTO registered it as a "new" vehicle because of a non-conforming vin?!
_________________
Pacifist with a gun


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