Cars are the most important luxury investment in the present era. We need cars for our daily requirements as well as it has become a status symbol for the society at large. Cars make our world comfortable; smooth to reach our destinations in a given time, and are a very convenient option for almost every trip we want to do that is in some distance reach. The family can go together, and enjoy the little things of a long drive that no other vehicle provides. But, what if you bought an old car or you are unaware of the manufacturing date of the expensive car you just bought on loan? For all this and much more you need to know the exact manufacturing date of the car you are willing to buy from a seller or dealer. For knowing all the details of your vehicle, there is a far easier way, that is, to decode VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) Number.
What is VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)?
VIN is a unique code allotted to every vehicle from the manufacturer, which includes a serial number to identify individual vehicles. No two vehicles have the same VIN, so VIN serves as a biometric feature for cars. VIN composes 17 characters that include digits and capital letters and goes up to 22 characters. VIN acts as a unique identity of a vehicle.
Also Read : Traffic Signs in India
How to check the Manufacturing Date of your car?
Most of the vehicles have a sticker on their car frame which is visible when the driving seat door is open. Open the door and look for a sticker on the car frame with bar codes and VIN numbers. The VIN Number contains the month and year of the vehicle, when it was manufactured but in a coded manner.
Also read: Bharat NCAP: India’s New Car Safety Assessment Program
How do I decode the month and year of my vehicle through VIN Number?
There are different techniques or methods to decode the month and year of manufacturing through VIN Number. Some of them are mentioned below.
- Car companies use months and years of manufacturing in the VIN numbers by converting them into English Alphabets.
- The letters “I”, “O”, and “Q” are not used in the VIN Number.
| Month Codes | Months |
| A | January |
| B | February |
| C | March |
| D | April |
| E | May |
| F | June |
| G | July |
| H | August |
| J | September |
| K | October |
| L | November |
| M | December |
| Year Codes | Year |
| A | 2010 |
| B | 2011 |
| C | 2012 |
| D | 2013 |
| E | 2014 |
| F | 2015 |
| G | 2016 |
| H | 2017 |
| J | 2018 |
| K | 2019 |
| L | 2020 |
| M | 2021 |
| N | 2022 |
| P | 2023 |
| R | 2024 |
| S | 2025 |
| T | 2026 |
| V | 2027 |
| W | 2028 |
| X | 2029 |
| Y | 2030 |
Also Read : HSRP and Colour-Coded Sticker: How to order and cost
3. Different automakers show the month and year of manufacturing the vehicle at different places in the VIN Number, here is the list of automakers and the place of month and year in the VIN number.
| Car Brand | Letter of Month in VIN | Letter of Year in VIN |
| Maruti Suzuki | 11th | 10th |
| Hyundai | 19th | 10th |
| Mahindra | 12th | 10th |
| Honda | 9th | 10th |
| Tata Motors | 12th | 10th |
| Renault | 11th | 10th |
| Chavrolet | 9th | 10th |
| Datsun | 18th | 19th, 20th |
| Fiat | 18th | 19th, 20th |
| Ford | 12th | 11th |
| Kia | 19th | 10th |
| Mitsubitshi | 11th | 10th |
| Nissan | 11th | 10th |
| Skoda | 6th | 10th |
| Toyota | 19th, 20th | 21st, 22nd |
| Volkswagen | 4th | 5th, 6th |
| Jeep | 19th | 20th |
These are some of the key automobile manufacturers that use the VIN Manufacturing month and year in the above letter. For example, if you own a Maruti WagonR, you should see the 11th letter of the VIN Number for the month, and the 10th letter of the VIN Number for the year as per the table.
Also Read : Check Driving Licence Application Status Online
Benefits Of Knowing The Manufacturing Month And Year
There are a few benefits of knowing the manufacturing month and year of a vehicle. These are listed below:
- You can get the newest vehicle from your manufacturer’s inventory.
- You know that few people have taken a test drive in it if it’s brand new.
- The new car is exposed less to the natural elements as compared to others.
- You can negotiate better if the vehicle is a year older or two.
- You can also be offered a much lesser price automatically if you know the manufacturing details of your car.
- If you resell your car, you have evidence that the car is manufactured just some years before, and crack a better deal.
Also Read : PUC Certificate
Frequently Asked Questions
Also Read: Top 5 Safest Cars in India with Global NCAP Rating
- Where is VIN Number found in the car?
The VIN number can be found on the car’s frame, when you open the driving seat or near the engine of the car.
- Does every car have the same letter place for year and month of manufacture?
No, every car has a different place for the year and month of manufacturing in the VIN Number.
- Is my car’s VIN Number different from the other same model of my car?
Yes, absolutely. Every car has a different and unique VIN Number of its own and that is the identity of the car with the manufacturer.
- Do I have any benefits from knowing the manufacturing details of my car?
Yes, of course. You get a lot of benefits when you know the manufacturing details of a vehicle. For example, you will be able to purchase the newest manufactured car which would have been tested less and less affected by the natural elements like wearing out of paint due to excessive sunlight, etc.
