How to determine the color of a VAZ car by VIN

Determination of paintwork online

Knowing the VIN number, you can get information online about the color and shade of the car’s “original” paint. There are several ways to do this:

Determine the paint code by VIN through the car manufacturer's website. The information will be among the technical information about the car.
Use specialized search services (Autohistory, Autocode, etc.). Here you also need to enter your VIN code and order a report by email. There is a fee for checking.
Contact online car paint stores that produce professional computer paint selection based on VIN number. You can also order paint here.

How to determine VIN code

To understand how to determine the VIN number for a VAZ car, you need to know where it is located. Even international standards do not require the placement of a VIN code. You can usually find the enamel code for a car in the following ways:

finding it on the body. The surest way to find out the color code is to look for its presence on the pillars near the driver’s seat, in the windshield area, in the engine compartment, under the trunk;
"approximately". The least accurate way to determine the shade of the body, which is unlikely to be suitable for partial repainting of the car;
using specialized sites. There you can search for the composition by code, or, if you don’t know where to look for the color by VIN code, a special field is presented. There you enter the year of manufacture of the car and its model, and the search helps determine the composition code;

by contacting the manufacturer's official dealer. Before you find out the VIN code of a shade, contact a representative of the manufacturer by phone. He will be able to provide the correct cipher;
in the technical passport. The passport indicates only the color of the composition, but not the code.

Once you understand the principle of determining body color, use the knowledge to obtain exactly the same shade of enamel. After all, incorrectly selected enamel for components will worsen the appearance of the vehicle. The rules for how to find car enamel colors are identical for each model.

What is the number for and where to find it

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If you do not plan to completely repaint the car, then partial restoration implies an exact match of shades. Local restoration is much more economical, but requires a professional approach at all stages: from paint selection to final polishing of the body (in 98% of cases). Careful selection of enamel helps to avoid sharp color transitions. Experts do not recommend eliminating the defect itself, but for a better visual result they recommend painting the entire area of damage: the fender, the trunk door. To get into the right tone, you actually need to find this mysterious number, which loves to play hide and seek with the car enthusiast.

Location of the VIN number in the car

Domestic cars are known for their simplicity of structure and uncomplicated configuration. You can find the coveted code on VAZs, GAZs and other similar draft horses in the warranty card (if available) or on the inside of the trunk lid; when there is nothing in the trunk, then it’s worth looking under the hood. On models that have already become “retro,” the tag is sometimes located under the seat, and in some cases, under the spare tire. Each color has an identification number and an official factory name. The answer to the burning question of how to find out the paint number on domestic cars has been received - which means it’s time to engage second gear!

Foreign cars are more successful in terms of underground places for placing information signs, and their color code is much more intricate. The enamel number can have not only a digital, but also a letter designation.

So, let's look into the salon and try to narrow the search area, having current information on the most likely placement of paint code labels:

Left pillar of the car (passenger side) or right pillar (driver side);
Engine compartment;
Wheel housing on the front passenger side;
Inner side of the trunk lid;
Niche where the spare wheel is located;
Rail;
A partition under the hood that serves as a fuse in the event of a fire in the engine area;
Front radiator trim.

The paint code on the nameplate usually follows the English inscription COLOR, which catches the eye. Or, if there is no such mark, you need to pay attention to numbers consisting of three or more characters.

How to decipher a car's VIN code

The VIN number is not just a set of letters and numbers. Each part of the VIN code is deciphered and gives the car owner very useful information about the car. For example, by the first characters you can find out the country in which the car was produced. The following symbols provide more accurate information about the manufacturer. The following symbols contain information about the gearbox, body, model, engine, specification. The remaining numbers will help you find out the year of manufacture and serial number.

An example of parsing the VIN number of a car on an OPEL model

Such information can be obtained from the Vin number of any domestic or foreign car. The exception is cars older than 30 years, since such markings were not previously used. There are only other ways to select paint for cars older than 30 years.

Decoding

In the color catalog of automobile paints, the shade code is selected based on the following components of the VIN code:

WMI. The first two letters indicate the geographic area where the vehicle was manufactured (for example, for Europe the letters SZ are provided). The third character of the code is a number that indicates the manufacturer.
VDS. The following is the designation of car identification symbols. The model, modification, body type, weight, and braking system of the vehicle are indicated there.
VIS. 10-17 places in the row of enamel code symbols are reserved for the year of manufacture and serial number of the machine.

What is VIN number

Finding this number is quite easy, because in accordance with the rules of the ISO 3779 standard, the metal VIN plate must be fixed in such a way that it cannot be removed without damaging the car body. The most popular places for manufacturers to place identification numbers are:

Windshield inspection hole;
Left passenger pillar;
Bottom of the door;
Engine compartment (near the engine).

The VIN number is a code of seventeen numbers and letters that stores detailed and most important information about your car. It is this small plate that contains information about the factory paint code, and possession of such data increases the success of color matching several times. The code is read by a special computer program.

And finally, a few important tips to prevent your car from turning out to be a tacky color:

general information

To make enamel, certain ratios of coloring pigments, base composition, etc. are used. The manufacturer uses several basic color options, but their shades can change from year to year, adjusted by designers, etc. Changes in the enamel used to paint a car can be noted in several ways:

Name of color (paint).
Weight ratios of pigments.
Number in the factory classification.

The location of the plate depends on which marking is adopted by the manufacturer. The standard location of the code is the engine compartment, sometimes a doorway (passenger and driver pillars, the doors themselves). The most popular brands are discussed below - if the car does not fall under this classification, you should look at the entries in the database of the official website. In addition, there are two more possibilities to find out the paint number, and possibly its recipe:

The VIN number is stamped on each car and cannot be removed during repairs - the code is tied to a very specific car, so the composition and color of the factory paint can be determined using the manufacturer’s databases.
You can inquire about the color of the car from an authorized dealer.

Determine color by code

For each foreign car, the paint codes for the wine may be different - when decoding you need to act differently. There is no standard algorithm. How do I determine the paint number for a specific make and model? We will look at this using the example of some cars.

Renault

The plate with codes for Duster, Sandero, Renault Logan and other models is located at the bottom of the passenger door pillar. There are four lines on the nameplate, and the third line from the left is the required number. Having found out the number, using the color table, we find the desired Renault paint color in it.

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"Toyota"

The location of the car enamel code on Toyota is in the driver's door opening. On the nameplate you should find the inscription in white letters - C/TR. This is the exterior color and interior paint color. Under the letter C there is a number – 1g3, 1f7 Toyota and others. The digits of the number correspond to a specific color in the catalog. How to determine the color - find the numbers in the catalog. So, 1G3 is an ash-gray metallic.

Similarly, they look for tables for cars of all models and brands. But you need to remember the encryption features of each manufacturer. Now you know how to find out the paint number of a car by VIN - it’s not difficult.

The main purpose of putting a VIN code on the body of each car is to protect the car from theft. However, in addition to this code, the manufacturer can leave an information plate with technical information: car paint code, production date, tire pressure, engine numbers, chassis, etc. Most often, several such plates are located in different places. Each manufacturer has its own marking system and, if desired, can exclude data on the original color; in addition, it may turn out that the data plate is damaged (removed) during operation (repair). Due to the lack of a unified system, it is impossible to determine the exact sequence of actions - this is compensated by many rules and even precise instructions for machines of specific brands.

Where is the Vin plate located?

There are a few standard places where manufacturers like to install Vin. This is the engine compartment, the lower part of the front doors, pillars. Sometimes various companies place the treasured numbers in the trunk under the spare tire.

In foreign cars

On a Hyundai Solaris, you can find out the paint by the VIN code if you look under the hood in the area of the power unit or at the bottom of the driver's door. How to find out the color - decipher the VIN number and determine the desired color from the catalog.

The VIN code colors for Ford Focus 2 and 3 are most often also located under the hood near the engine. Naturally, the manufacturer can sometimes deviate from the standards, then you should look for the number in the lower left corner of the driver's door. This is due to assembly in several factories.

On a Nissan Almera, paint codes by VIN code can be found on the nameplate, which is located in the engine compartment on the passenger side - you need to look near the windshield.

On a Chevrolet Lacetti, the color code is located near the power unit (at the radiator). But sometimes the number is located near the engine, as well as near the windshield.

Mazda places codes on the pillars, and less often, in the engine compartment in the engine area. Rarely, the identification number may be located on the bottom of the front passenger door.

Toyota body enamel number is located on the front door pillars or under the hood. The same code on the Kia Rio can be seen in the doorway of the driver's door.

For domestic cars

On domestic cars, you can find a nameplate with a VIN code on the trunk lid or in the engine compartment - there are no other places. If it is a Lada Granta or another AvtoVAZ model, then the markings, color number and other information are located in exactly one of these places.

Sometimes domestic manufacturers may name colors non-standardly, for example, “crystal” or “white cloud”. Then find the value in the color catalog. But finding out the paint code is only half the battle. It is worth knowing about the features that can complicate the task of determining the shade.

Manufacturers of paintwork materials may not be indicated, so the color of the car cannot be determined by the number - this code is indicated in unknown catalogues. The machine may have the most complete information about the enamel, but selection of paint will be impossible here, since the enamel is exclusive.

On the video: where to look for the VIN code or body number of a car.

It is not enough to set the numbers; you must additionally find various correspondences of paintwork materials in catalogs. After the numbers are found and the paint color is known, you can notice slight differences in the tone of the paint on the car body and in the shade catalog.

For older cars, it is often impossible to select paint because this information is not indicated. The found VIN number will not help in any way - usually in such cases only basic information is indicated there.

Paint colors are indicated in the form of a code in the code only for the last 5-6 years. In other cases, selecting the desired color for a car should be done using spectral analysis. The choice will be more accurate.

Paint selection

Enamels used in car painting contain several basic components: solvent, pigment, additives and a binder. Currently, the composition of paints is becoming more and more complex, and accordingly the buyer’s choice is expanding. However, other aspects are also of interest to the consumer: an incorrectly selected shade can result not only in loss of time, but also in the need for new financial investments, not to mention nerve cells that are not restored.

Having a paint number also does not solve all problems, since the car’s color may change over time due to exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Here are several different effective methods for determining the color of your four-wheeled friend:

Search for stickers on the body;
Contact the seller's showroom for detailed information;
Contacting an experienced colorist at a car service center;
Searching for information on the Internet by car release date;
"Poke method";
Specialized programs that are also easy to find on the Internet;
Sending the gas tank flap to a specialist by mail;
Search by VIN number.

Let's consider the last option and don't forget about moving to fourth gear!