Search and determine car paint color by VIN code

The principle and purpose of the VIN number

Vehicle identification number (vehicle identification number), or VIN, is a unique vehicle code consisting of 17 Arabic digits and Latin letters, except O, Q, I (due to the similarity of the latter with numbers). It contains data on the main characteristics of the vehicle, its manufacturer, and year of manufacture. In most cases, the VIN code can be seen on the body, chassis or in other places on specially made plates (nameplates).

Thanks to VIN, you can find out important information about cars and other equipment. This information is entered into the traffic police database, as a result of which, during inspection, the legality of the manufacturer is clarified, the car is not on the wanted list, etc. Even the smallest factories mark vehicles with unique codes and enter the numbers into special registers. For the driver, having a VIN allows you to find out the car’s paint color, if required.

Car paint store Autocolor7 - selection and sale of paints of all colors

The Autocolor7.com store selects and sells car paints of all shades, car enamels with metallic, xerallic, mother-of-pearl effects, and restoration car cosmetics.

We have simplified the computer selection of paints online as much as possible, but if you are unable to find the corresponding code and color of the car enamel from the plate on the body, then you can write us the VIN code of the car and we will send you a reply SMS with the code for the corresponding car paint.

Computerized selection of paints online, determination of the shade of car enamel as accurate as possible to the original, the widest palette of car enamel colors, fast delivery - you will find all this on our website!

Determine color code online - find out car paint color

You can find out the paint color of a car in various ways. If you find it difficult to find the paint code or body number, you can get more detailed explanations on the page Where is the paint code on the car body?

But if you couldn’t choose the car paint by color on your own, then the consultants of the Autocolor7 car paint store will always come to the rescue.

Decoding the VIN code

The VIN code is a specific cipher. It consists of three groups of indicators:

1. International Manufacturer Index (WMI). The first digit is the locality code of the manufacturing country, followed by 3 characters indicating the name of the manufacturer and production department.
2. Narrative (VDS). Five numbers correspond to the description of the car - model, body type, transmission, engine, specification.
3. Distinguishing part (VIS). The remaining characters (10-17) determine the year of manufacture, vehicle serial number, and check digits.

The selection of paint based on the VIN code of the car is carried out according to the distinguishing part of the information. The type of paint is indicated by the sign number 10 (Y - plain, Z - metallic), then three characters (11-13) correspond to a unique paint code (for example 547). The last 4 digits of the control information encrypt the car's trim options, its interior, and the features of this configuration.

Thus, you can find all the information about paint when buying, selling, or repairing a car, and also find out whether the vehicle has been repainted or whether it is a “constructor”. An unknown VIN number can only be found on a vehicle over 30 years old - such marking was not practiced before.

What does the VIN look like?

The VIN number is a number-letter combination containing data about the car. The code contains only Latin letters. At machine-building plants, all vehicles are assigned a separate (non-repeating) VIN code containing data that will tell about the main characteristics of the vehicle. The VIN code will be an excellent assistant when searching for any information regarding your car. So, it may come in handy if you need to change any spare parts or paint your car.

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The VIN code will also be useful when purchasing a used vehicle. It will help you find out whether there have been fines or arrests for the car.

VIN code location

To find the VIN code, you must first determine where exactly the nameplate with the identification number is located. Traditionally, automakers attach it in the following places:

• trunk bottom;
• driver's side B pillar;
• space under the driver or passenger seat;
• area at the bottom of the windshield (in its left corner);
• bottom of the front driver's door;
• under the hood.

There are other locations for the nameplate, which vary depending on the manufacturer. Below are the most popular car manufacturers, models and areas where you can view the VIN code:

• Volkswagen - under the spare wheel, in the trunk;
• Hyundai, Ford - on the driver's door, under the hood near the engine;
• Nissan - under the hood on the passenger side next to the windshield;
• Chevrolet - near the radiator, engine, near the windshield;
• Mazda – on the pillars, under the hood, on the front passenger door;
• KIA – in the driver’s door opening;
• Great Wall - on the frame behind the rear right or left wheel.

A clear location of the nameplate has not been established, so the manufacturer can change it at will. Moreover, cars of the same brand assembled at different factories may also have different VIN positions.

Where is the paint code indicated on different brands of cars?

The paint code is located in different places on the nameplate.

For German and Korean vehicles, this is the left side.

For French cars it is on the right.

For American and Japanese cars - in the lower part.

How to find out a car's paint color by VIN code

In order to choose the correct paint number and order it from a dealer or auto repair shop, you must first identify the location of the VIN code. The unique paint code will contain information about the ratio of pigments that make up the enamel. For all of them, the code has a numerical value (for Ford it has an alphabetic value). After a thorough inspection of the car, you need to write out the signs from VIN 10-14 that will be required further.

There are several ways to find out the color by code:

1. Information on the Internet. Now there are many specialized sites that allow you to accurately decrypt the VIN. Thanks to them, you can clarify the paint code and select it for your car.
2. Dealer information. If the car was purchased new or used, but at a car dealership, the employees have the necessary information about the paint code. They will also help you find your VIN if you were unable to do it yourself.
3. Technical certificate. From this document you can find out the name of the paint shade, but you will have to look at the exact code directly on the car.
4. Auto repair shop. Masters of tinting and painting cars themselves find information about the type, composition and color of enamel before starting work.

Features of code search for domestic cars

Domestic cars usually do not have any difficulties finding the VIN code. For most models, the data is hidden under the hood or on the trunk lid. As in generally accepted markings, there is information about a specific paint code and brand. Don’t be surprised if, after searching the Internet, you find a paint with a strange name (for example, “Milky Way”). There are catalogs of car enamels where you can order exactly the same paint and varnish material.

It should be noted that AvtoVAZ additionally indicates the paint code in the so-called form No. 3347. It is located in the glove compartment or is issued to the buyer when purchasing a new car. This greatly simplifies the selection of enamel for a vehicle.

Paint code for foreign cars

Difficulties in finding information may arise even at the stage of locating the VIN. Since there are no uniform requirements for fixing a number in the world, it can be located anywhere. It’s easier for those who buy new foreign cars - the car dealership will immediately indicate all the required information. The car owner does not have to study the “insides” of the car himself. Those who buy used cars often have a more difficult time.

First you need to look for the code on the door pillar, in the engine compartment. Typically, foreign cars have large nameplates, which makes searching easier. In different Honda models, the color is even listed on a separate plate marked “color”. If necessary, you can go to the manufacturer’s website and ask a question about the position of the VIN code, indicating the model and year of its manufacture.

What to consider when choosing auto paint

If we are talking about a used car, it is very important to determine whether it has been completely repainted in order to eliminate the risk of purchasing a “criminal” vehicle. In addition, you need to remember several important rules for choosing paintwork:

If the former owner changed the color completely, then most likely non-factory paint was used. Therefore, the information obtained by VIN code will be irrelevant, and the color of the existing coating in different places of the body should be compared.

You can use a paint thickness gauge. Not a single technician at a service station will paint a car as efficiently as they do at the factory. Therefore, the amount of paintwork applied will most likely differ in different places on the body (if the car has been repainted).

Paint changes its properties over time due to natural conditions. In this case, the shade of the coating in different places of the body will also differ from the original tone according to the VIN code.

To minimize the risk of choosing the wrong shade, you can turn to spectral paint selection, which allows you to select the right pigments for the paint composition.

It should be borne in mind that many car manufacturing plants use paintwork that is not commercially available. In such a situation, it will be difficult to find the right color, even if you accurately determine the shade. You will need the services of a professional computer selection of the closest possible shade.

If the car is more than 10 years old, then the paintwork has most likely already been discontinued. In such a situation, it is also necessary to use complex techniques for selecting and mixing paint colors.

So, using the VIN number it is quite convenient to select the correct paintwork for the car. However, it is good for new and popular car models. With old and repainted vehicles, this method is not always convenient and effective.

To minimize the risk of error, it is better to turn to professionals or request the necessary information directly from the dealer.

Many drivers have to paint their car body sooner or later. The reason for this need may be an accident, abrasion of the old paintwork, color fading, multiple chips and scratches.

Most often, you only need to paint one or two parts of the vehicle, in most cases the bumper and fenders. Then you have to find out the name of the paint that covers the car. The easiest way to determine the paint code is by the VIN code, because it is almost impossible to do this by eye.

other information

Using the VIN, you can find out whether the car has undergone major changes, or whether it is a prefabricated model, which is often how scammers make money. Control information helps to do this. Expensive brands even set a check number that will help identify the fact of counterfeiting.

In addition, the VIN code makes it easy to determine the type of body, engine, wheelbase, drive, and transmission. These data are verified when registering the car. Thus, VIN is a “fingerprint” of the car, allowing you to identify basic data and paint the body with an ideal result.

Metallic and non-metallic

It should be noted that owners of cars coated with metallic and pearlescent car paint face a serious problem. It is extremely difficult to quickly and at the same time barely visible touch-up of longer scratches.

Therefore, you should be prepared to color and darken most (if not all) of the element. This is, of course, a much more complex procedure than adjusting, for example, single-color acrylic coatings.

• Moreover, cars produced today are covered with very thin coatings (i.e. less than 80 microns), often consisting of even 4 layers.
• Working with such automotive paint is in many cases difficult for professional painters.

Therefore, for hobbyists who want to improve the aesthetic value of their car, it is even more recommended to use the services of paint shops.

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.

Where is the VIN number?

The easiest way to find the VIN is to look at the car's registration documents. To do this, open the vehicle passport or its certificate . If for some reason it is not there, then manufacturers can also indicate it on body .

On foreign cars, the VIN code is located under the hood . The symbols are stamped on nameplates (information plates) that cling to the body under the hood near the windshield. In rare cases, it is stamped not on a separate plate, but directly on the body of the car. It happens that the Vin number is duplicated on the counter near the driver's seat .

Vin number under the hood of the car

At American automobile factories (and some others), it is customary to stamp the VIN code on the floor near the threshold of the front passenger seat . To see it, you need to lift the rug.

Vin number under the driver's seat

In the newest cars, the VIN code can also be found in the left corner on the windshield . There should be a nameplate with Vin. In such a place it is considered duplicate and it must also be under the hood or on the floor under the front passenger seat . There are cars where you can find the Vin in the trunk by removing the spare tire. Usually, the VIN code is located there on German cars.

After checking all the indicated places, you will definitely find the Vin of your vehicle.

Where to find the VIN code

The easiest way is to refer to the vehicle registration documents. The Vin number is indicated in the vehicle passport and in the vehicle certificate. If for some reason you do not have such information or you want to check the VIN number located on the car, then finding it on the body will not be so difficult even for an inexperienced car owner.

The most popular location of the VIN code for all foreign cars is the engine compartment of the car. As a rule, the Vin number is stamped on a special plate and attached to the body under the hood under the windshield. Sometimes, the VIN number can be stamped directly on the metal of the body. The Vin number is also often duplicated on the rack on the driver’s side.

Vin number under the hood of the car

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In American cars (and not only) the VIN number is often located on the floor at the threshold of the front passenger seat. To do this, just peel back the floor covering and you will find the VIN number.

Vin number on the floor under the driver's seat

For more modern cars, the VIN code is also indicated in the left corner on the nameplate near the windshield. Often, this location of the VIN code is a duplicate code under the hood or on the floor of the front passenger seat. For some cars, the VIN code can be found at the bottom of the trunk under the spare tire. Basically, this arrangement of Vins occurs on German cars.

Main locations of the VIN code

Having examined all the above places, you will definitely find the VIN code of your car.