Problem Checkin VINs
 

I tried using a few of those free sites to check a VIN and both came back the VIN was not valid. I then tried the VIN on my Targa and got the same response.

is there a free site that actually works?

Mike, I used this recently when I got into a fenderbender.

You have to be very careful that 0's and o's and 1's and l's are transcribed correctly, otherwise it barfs it out...

How To Read A Car's VIN

Actually that site doesn't work for Porsche it seems...unless my car was made in Brazil.

Mike,

VINs did not standardize at 17 digits until 1981. Any VIN prior to that will not read on the free sites (which look at standard 17 digit VINs).

For older cars you need other sources, like Porsche VIN registry, Redbook, etc., to decode a VIN. Things like CARFAX, etc., don't work at all for anything older than 1981.

angela

Thanks! That's awesome insight. I bet there are tons of folks that don't know this. Thank you.

Same with Carfax, 17 digits. Mine has two records because some moron service writer used an "O" instead a "0". Of both course both records are inaccurate.

What are you hoping to check? The free sites are worth exactly what you pay for them, and many are scams. Autocheck and Carfax are marginally more useful but far from perfect.