The vehicle identification number (VIN) is a unique code assigned to every car produced and sold. It contains important information about the vehicle, such as make, model, year, and place of manufacturing. But can you determine the color of a car just from its VIN?
The short answer is no, the VIN does not contain direct information about a vehicle’s color. However, there are some ways to make an educated guess about a car’s color based on details encoded in the VIN. With a little detective work and some basic understanding of how VINs work, you can narrow down the possibilities substantially.
How VINs Work
The VIN is a 17-character alphanumeric code, with each position providing a specific piece of information about the vehicle. Here is a breakdown of what the different positions refer to:
| Positions 1-3 | World manufacturer identifier |
| Position 4 | Vehicle type |
| Position 5 | Vehicle line |
| Position 6 | Series |
| Position 7 | Restraint system |
| Position 8 | Engine type |
| Positions 9-17 | Vehicle-specific serial number |
As you can see, the VIN does not directly specify the color of the vehicle. However, by decoding positions 1-8, you can determine useful details about the make, model, and year of the car. With this information, you can consult reference materials to get an idea of what the most common exterior color options were for that particular vehicle.
For example, say you have a VIN starting with 1G6. Decoding it, you find:
| 1G6 | Cadillac brand |
| Position 4 | Passenger car |
| Position 5 | Devile model |
| Position 6 | Base trim level |
Knowing this is a base model Cadillac Deville narrows down the model year range and color possibilities dramatically. Checking months of production for the six generations, you can then estimate the typical color choices for that generation. For 1990 Deville models, for instance, maroon, metallic blue, and taupe are good guesses.
Using Other Clues
In addition to decoding the VIN, you may be able to make inferences about the vehicle’s color based on other details:
– Model year – Certain colors were more popular in particular years. Browns were common in the 1970s, for example.
– Make/model – Some brands have signature colors associated with them, like British racing green on Jaguars orGrabber Blue for classic Mustangs.
– Geography – Regional color preferences can provide clues, like beiges being popular in warm climates.
– Owner demographic – Gender and age ranges may favor some colors over others.
– Purpose – Commercial fleet vehicles often use white. Sports cars tend toward bold reds or yellows.
With a few contextual clues, you can make an educated guess about the most likely color of a vehicle. But the VIN alone cannot definitively tell you the exterior paint color. Other sources like registration records would be needed to confirm it.
Confirming Color from VIN
While you cannot directly decode the color from the VIN, there are a couple ways to confirm the color using the VIN as a reference:
– Vehicle history report – Services like Carfax use the VIN to pull vehicle history data including factory color information.
– Dealership records – With the make/model details, you can contact the selling dealership for records on the original color.
– Registration records – In most states, the vehicle color is included on the registration tied to the VIN.
– Window sticker – The factory window sticker (which includes the VIN) will list the exterior color the vehicle was originally ordered in.
– Paint code – Matching the VIN’s make/model details to paint code charts can reveal the original color. GM, Ford, and Chrysler all used paint codes.
So in summary, while the VIN itself does not contain the color information, when used as a reference point it can lead you to definitive sources that list the factory color. It’s an indirect route vs being directly encoded, but still quite useful for tracking down the original color.
Conclusion
The VIN does not directly specify the color of a vehicle. However, it does contain identifying details like make, model, year, and plant which allow you to make educated guesses on the most likely colors. With additional information from vehicle history reports, dealership records, registration data and paint codes, you can use the VIN as a reference point to confirm the original factory color of a car. So while not an outright indicator on its own, the VIN can guide you to determine a vehicle’s color if needed.