A car VIN number (or just a VIN) allows you to quickly identify your vehicle for certain situations that require this number. For example, when someone buys or trades in a car around Riverside, they need the VIN to complete the transaction legally.
Every new and used car, truck, and SUV you see on our lot near Norco has a VIN. Are you asking, “Where is the VIN number on a car?” or “What is a VIN number?” Our team will provide more details on what a car VIN number involves with our handy guide for Chino drivers.
Your car’s VIN can appear in a couple of places on your vehicle.
No matter where you find the VIN, it must remain attached to your vehicle as mandated by federal law. You now know where to find your car VIN number. Next, discover more information about what a VIN number is and why the VIN is useful.
VIN is an acronym for a vehicle identification number. You may need to use the VIN for certain situations, such as:
When you need to submit your VIN to a secure form on the internet, it’s usually one of these situations.
VINs are 17 characters long, using letters and numbers. Each VIN is unique to the vehicle, much like your Social Security number, fingerprints, DNA, and personality are to you. No two vehicles on the road have the same VIN. A VIN from a car or truck manufactured before 1981 is less than 17 characters long.
Here’s an example of what a VIN looks like, comprised of digits and capital letters:
Your car’s VIN provides identifying information about your vehicle’s manufacturer, specifications, features, and more.
Each character identifies a specific aspect of the vehicle:
Cars made in the United States start with a 1, 4, or 5. Canada is 2, Mexico is 3, Japan is J, South Korea is K, England is S, Germany is W, and Sweden or Finland is Y.
When looking at the second character, N is for Nissan if you buy a new Nissan vehicle from us. Most Nissan vehicles have a VIN that starts with JN1 or 5N1. The fourth through eighth characters depend on the manufacturer, and each automaker uses a unique system to identify their vehicles in these digits.
Fun Fact: the letters I, O, and Q are not allowed in VINs.
Take a look at our new vehicle inventory. You’ll see that each online listing has a VIN attached to it.
Now that you know what is a VIN number, we’ll answer any questions about any other part of vehicle ownership. Contact us or call 951-410-8270, and our service experts or finance team will be happy to help!
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