Vehicle Identification Numbers, or VIN as they are more commonly called aren’t formed by placing random numbers and alphabets adjacent to each other. VIN is a smart algorithm formulated from various set characters that individually represent the many features of your vehicle and give details about it. They tell you about the vehicle’s manufacturer, its general characteristics such as the type of car, as well as manufactory details and the options installed on the vehicle. Hence, this makes the VIN impossible to counterfeit.
With the help of a vehicle’s VIN, you can find out a great deal of information about it.
- If you are eyeing a used car, a VIN can provide you with many details such as the vehicle’s factory options instead of depending on the owner’s vague memory!
- Any manufacturer that calls vehicles for updates list them in car recalls by their VIN. This way you can find out if yours or one you are contemplating purchasing has any recalls required. Often manufacturers will send recall updates to the most recent address registered to a cars VIN.
- VIN can track many important records such as accident history, service records, registration and ownership.
- Stolen vehicle listings specify the VIN among many other details making it useful for preventing the transfer or registration of stolen property.
- VIN makes it possible for you to know about the odometer history and possibly spot any tampering with it.
Why Is A VIN Mandatory For Vehicle Recycling?
Any licensed automotive recycling company like Bolduc Metal Recycling always needs to verify a vehicle’s VIN before admitting it in for scrap.
Today’s recycling process requires accurate documentation regarding the end-of-life for vehicles. That information is associated with a vehicles VIN. Before sending any car for recycling, it is essential that we verify the details about the vehicle contained within the VIN. This information can be obtained from a Bill of Sale that has a VIN entered correctly but is easiest to get from a title, insurance card, or other non-hand written document.
The state of Vermont directs us to acquire the VIN and title for any vehicle that is less than 15 years old. If any vehicle is older than 15 years, the owner must still be able to present and sign a bill of sale that includes the VIN.
Once the details are verified, the VIN is then entered into a national database that maintains a record of all vehicles that are recycled, from whom they were purchased, how and where they were recycled, and if they were exported. This entry also removes such vehicles from the list of recalls. As an automotive recycling company, we are also bound to annually report the count of vehicles recycled at our facility along with their complete details.
If your vehicle is beyond repair and you feel the time has come to give it up, make sure you have its VIN handy and contact us at Bolduc Metal Recycling for auto salvage services.
