How to Perform a Chevy VIN Decoder?
You can learn about a car by reading many materials about it, observing the make and how it works. On the other hand, there is more to a car that we don’t know. The best way to uncover that is by decoding the VIN. Chevrolets are great cars, and you wouldn’t want to drive one that you don’t know well about. That is why it’s necessary to know everything from where it was made to the internal specifications.
Knowing these things will require you to have two things; the Chevy VIN and a decoder to uncover all. We are going to look at that in this article as you learn more about Chevy VINs.
What is a Chevy VIN?
Just like any other car, a Chevy will contain a VIN. This is a unique number used to identify the vehicle, and it’s made up of a 17-character alphanumeric code. You can find it in several places as we will see. To know what the characters mean, you need a Chevy VIN Decoder to interpret the information hidden in each character. It takes a minute, if not seconds, to do so with a reputable platform.
If you buy a used vehicle, checking out the VIN is vital to ensure that it’s safe for you. The characters will even tell you if it’s fake or not. If the details you get match the initial specifications given to you, there is nothing to worry about. Now, let’s see where you can find a Chevy VIN.
Where Do You Find a Chevy VIN?
It can be found in specific areas on the car or its documents. You can check on all these areas to ensure that you have matching figures. Also, get ready with a pen and paper or your phone camera.
Next, check on the following places and record what you see:
- The Chevy’s car title o insurance
- On the metal plate, on the driver’s side of the dashboard
- The door pillar on the driver’s side
- Under the hood and the engine block
Once you get it from all these places, check to see if the numbers match, and then head online to decode the characters.
How to Decode the Chevy VIN?
It will take a few minutes to feed the characters on the input field provided by the platform and click on the search button. To understand what the characters mean, here is how you decode the information:
- First character: It indicates where the car was manufactured. In the USA, you get 1, Mexico 3, Canada 2, Korea K, Japan J, Germany W, and S is for England.
- Second character: This is the letter that talks about the manufacturer. If you see a G, know that the car was from General Motors.
- Third character: This one signifies division. For Chevys, you get 1.
- Fourth character: This is where you get the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). A means 0-3000 pounds, B 3001-4000, C 4001-5000, D 5001-6000, etc.
- Fifth character: On the fifth one, you will have the chassis number. B says it’s incomplete, C 4 x 2 pickup (full-size), E 4 x 2 pickup (compact), T 4 x 4 sport-utility, W Chevrolet El Camino, etc.
- Sixth character: It has body style information. One is for 1500, 2 for 2500, 4 for ½ ton heavy-duty, 6 for ½ ton luxury 1500, etc.
- Seventh character: This one is for the body type. Three means it’s a four-door cab, 6 for suburban, 7 for Motor Home chassis, 9 for the extended cab, etc.
- Eighth character: Part 8 carries the engine type. It can vary depending on the model and year of make. If you get a C, that’s for a 6.2 diesel, F stands for a 5.0 gasoline, and W for 4.3.
- Ninth character: It tells if the fake is legit or not. The ninth digit has a mathematical formula used to identify the VIN and verify if it belongs to the Chevy.
- Tenth character: The year when the vehicle was made is found here. A is for 1980, and the letters go up to Y with the omission of I, O, Q, U, and Z. From 2001 to 2009, we have numbers 1 to 9. Since 2010, the letters have resumed, and they will go all the way up to 2030.
- Eleventh character: Here, you have the plant location. B means Baltimore, Md., F is for Flint, Mich., K for Linden, N.J., V signifies Pontiac Mich., and 1 for Wentzville, Mo. There are more plants that we haven’t included here, so it depends on which country and state it’s located in.
- Twelfth to seventeenth characters: This is the production sequence number. You can call it the number that the Chevy received while on the assembly line. It’s also the serial number that appears as a portion of the casting number.
Why Should You Perform a Chevy VIN Decoder?
As we said before, a VIN decoding exercise will tell you more about the vehicle. You can verify that from the interpretation we have done above. Apart from that, you will also see the vehicle’s history, which is essential if you buy a used car.
The Chevy may have been involved in crime, stolen, or gone through catastrophic events. You need to ensure that it’s safe for the roads and you don’t have to look over your shoulder.
It’s also a chance for you to save your money if the car needs more repairs. Why? Because there will be information about the car repairs and its visits to servicing and maintenance. The details you get from the decoded information need to match what the seller has provided.
Since there will be history, you will see the previous owners too. If you need to perform a quick Chevy decoder, there are numerous websites to do so, and all you need is an internet connection.
Conclusion
It’s easier to know more about a Chevy when you have its VIN and a reputable decoder. Once you find the VIN, head online and look for a website that can do it quickly. If you need to verify, there are other Chevy VIN decoders to do so. Remember that it’s essential to check if you are buying a used car.
