Checking the Vehicle's Manufacture Year

With an alphanumeric identification combination, you can obtain very useful information about a vehicle. Simply put, the VIN or frame number will tell you nearly everything about the vehicle.

For instance, with these combinations, a potential buyer can determine the vehicle's year of manufacture before purchasing the previous model.

If we look at the structure of the VIN, we note that it consists of three groups of symbols. Each group serves as a code:

  • The first three digits identify the manufacturer;
  • Digits 4 through 9 provide insight into the vehicle's modification and its factory specifications (if the vehicle is from America, this will also include information about its safety systems);
  • If you are interested in the age of the vehicle, pay attention to the last part of the combination. The vehicle’s model year is typically indicated by the 10th, and sometimes the 11th, character. Also, when determining the year of manufacture via the VIN, consider that manufacturers don’t start their year on January 1st, but on July 1st.

Of course, there's an easier method than searching for the VIN on the body, which is to compare it with the PTS (its complete correspondence is a necessary condition for safe operation). It is sufficient to place an order for verification on the CarCheck.az online service.

The frame number is displayed on parts of the vehicle that are difficult to remove, in places where the combination will be visible but hard to access. In addition, this alphanumeric code should be shown in the vehicle's registration documents.

The frame code encodes the following information:

  • Which company produced this model;
  • The year the vehicle was manufactured;
  • The vehicle's configuration;
  • The color the vehicle was painted when it left the conveyor. Finding the frame number on your vehicle can be a challenging task; determining the vehicle’s year of manufacture by the body number is somewhat easier. Unlike the VIN, the frame number does not have a fixed number of characters. The structure of the code depends on the manufacturer, as well as the vehicle brand and model.

Why is Knowing the Manufacture Date Important?

How important is it to know a vehicle’s manufacture date? The vehicle’s year of manufacture is considered one of the primary features in checking a second-hand vehicle.

As soon as a vehicle leaves the showroom, its value immediately decreases, and within the first year of operation, the vehicle loses at least 15% of its original price. Generally, the older the vehicle, the more value it loses (except in rare cases).

Determining the vehicle’s manufacture date allows for an understanding of its remaining operational resource. No vehicle parts—even the most reliable ones—are everlasting. And their age usually directly affects maintenance costs and the risk of needing major repairs.

What Else Can CarCheck.az Check?

The manufacture date by VIN, state number, or frame is not the only feature that can be obtained from the online service CarCheck.az.

Within a few minutes, the service provides detailed information about any second-hand vehicle, including:

  • The number of owners;
  • The registration renewal period;
  • Liens placed on the vehicle (warranty, impoundment, registration prohibition, search, etc.);
  • Technical specifications;
  • A history of accidents and repair works;
  • Diagnostics conducted;
  • Mileage dynamics;
  • Sales history (including images from advertisements, mileage and price information across all popular online car trading platforms);
  • Fines;
  • Use in taxi fleets or carsharing;
  • Presence of MTPL insurance.

CarCheck.az allows for a comprehensive vehicle check—gain the most information about a vehicle in just a few minutes.