Hi, guys.

 

I've been trying to find my chassis number based on my VIN code in order to be able to identify my car in ETOS (since ETKA no longer has VIN based search). Of course, I haven't been able to properly decode the id, no other info than the country where the car has been made, the MY, the engine type and pretty much general info like this. A site though (autodna), told me that they have records as the milage, archived photos and 2 vehicle history data, but I have to pay about $15 to get access to them. Is this stuff for real or they are trying to sell something bogus ?

Chassis number is just the latter part of the VIN, with one or sometimes two digits replaced by dashes. I've coloured the completely removed red, and the dash-replacable digits green below for clarity.

 

Example

TMBNY46Y25424nnnn  becomes  a chassis number of either  6Y-5424nnnn, or 6Y-5-24nnnn, where nnnn are the last four digits that I've obscured for confidentiality.  Do either of those formats fit with what you're looking for? In some contexts only the first of the green digits (9th character from the right of the whole VIN) is replaced by a dash, other times both. In the first case there will be 8 numbers after the dash, in the double-dash version, only 6 after the second dash.

 

Clear as mud?   

 

The erWin Skoda site will give you complete car data info for 7 Euros +VAT, so your $15 site doesn't sound like good value. Won't give you mileage, photos etc. though.

Edited 4 July, 20169 yr by Wino

Pm me your chassis number and I will get you all the details as I have access to partslink at work

You could always try asking at your Skoda garage parts department for a print out of "CAR DATA" - I'm not sure if garages are happy to do this now, I got that for my old Passat, wife's old Polo, my newer Audi and daughter's SEAT, but when I asked for it for my wife's new Polo - I was blanked as that does not exist!  I can't believe that as places like ECP etc use that exact information to sell you the correct parts.

 

BTW, "CAR DATA" is just a complete listing of all possible options of parts/systems fitted to your car - which makes buying parts from aftermarket sources a lot easier.

(PR codes etc but a lot more than the car build label defines)

Edited 7 July, 20169 yr by rum4mo

You could always try asking at your Skoda garage parts department for a print out of "CAR DATA" - I'm not sure if garages are happy to do this now, I got that for my old Passat, wife's old Polo, my newer Audi and daughter's SEAT, but when I asked for it for my wife's new Polo - I was blanked as that does not exist!  I can't believe that as places like ECP etc use that exact information to sell you the correct parts.

 

BTW, "CAR DATA" is just a complete listing of all possible options of parts/systems fitted to your car - which makes buying parts from aftermarket sources a lot easier.

(PR codes etc but a lot more than the car build label defines)

 

ECP generally use VRM data supplied via a third party from the DVLA - which is riddled with errors anyway, roughly 2 million or more - hence the reason they quite often can't identify the exact bearing/clutch/brake pads/discs  etc that are required (although it would help if they had staff that knew what a car was half the time, other than something they drive and put petrol in)

I used to use ETOS though it is a Lex Leasing (I think) compilation - but it did always work for me, used to buy it from ebay, but it seems to have vanished altogether so I just use online listings now.

 

It was probably GSF that I saw using what looked very much like ETOS, seem to remember being handed a printed page or two when they could not help me out, so that meant I could go away with more info than I had when I went into the shop!

 

ECP - well, enough said, that is the very reason that I like/need to know what should be printed on the manufactuer's box label before I walk into an ECP shop, saves a lot toing and froing!! (I learned the hard way)

Ahhh ecp. They sold me spark plug leads for a diesel, bless em.