AGRR Readers Weigh in on Which VIN Decoders Score the Highest
By Steve Campbell
What’s a glass shop looking for in a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) decoder? Why do you choose one brand over another? What features make a good VIN decoder a great VIN decoder? In this issue of AGRR, we’re diving into all things VIN and talked to several auto glass shop owners and managers to find out which devices they use and why. We wanted to know what they like about the ones they use and the advantages they offer compared to other options. Here’s what they had to say.
What the Vin Means
| First three characters | Fourth through Eight | Remaining characters |
|---|---|---|
| World Manufacturer Identifier | Vehicle Descriptor Section | Vehicle Identifier Section |
| 1G1 | YC2D1 | 9E5103432 |
| Identifies vehicle manufacturer, plant and unique serial number | Describes vehicle features | Model year, manufacturing plant |
Which Decoder Do You Use?
Rose Denning, Co-owner
Denning Auto Glass
Coldwater, Michigan
Rose Denning only uses VIN decoders from major auto glass suppliers Pilkington, Mygrant, and PGW.
“Also, we have a good relationship with a few local dealers, so we sometimes will call them if we are striking out with the vendors,” Denning says.
“I tried a company a few years ago and didn’t think it was worth the money,” she says. “They couldn’t always decode what I needed.”
Joe Kook, Owner
Tom’s Auto Glass,
Chesterfield Township, Michigan
For Joe Kook, MyAutoBolt makes the grade. “It’s the only one we have used, and it’s only gotten better since we started in October 2022,” he says.
The service charges $86 per month for 200 lookups. “We often go over the 200, then you pay by each VIN,” Kook says.
“We like it because it’s accurate, might have been wrong twice out of 1,000 lookups, and it’s easy to use,” he says.
Larry Diesbach, Operations Manager
Impex Auto Sales
Greensboro, North Carolina
Larry Diesbach always uses OmegaEdi.com, which is built into the company’s point-of-sale system.
The benefits, he says, are the $1 per lookup fee and then a $10 payback for wrong part matches. Diesbach’s situation is unique because the dealership where he works handles so many new vehicle models, sometimes before the rest of the company gets them.
“Due to the fact that they are a point-of-sale system, as well as a VIN decoder, sometimes their data is limited to what is provided by NAGS,” he says.
In that case, “MyAutoBolt is my backup go-to when Omega is unsure of the results or I decide I want a second opinion,” Diesbach says. “They also credit you $10 if they are wrong, which in my experience is not that often.”
Greg Malone, Owner
GlassDoctor
Midvale, Utah
Greg Malone primarily uses Pilkington’s VIN decoder because he says it seems to be the most accurate. “Their website is the only one where you can search OEM part numbers to get a NAGS number,” he says.
Plus, he says, Pilkington only charges $1 per successful search. “If they can’t find the NAGS part, Pilkington’s website easily lets you filter features to narrow down your search,” Malone says.
Like a lot of VIN decoders, Pilkington’s is not 100% accurate, “especially when it comes to harder to find windshields like Ford trucks or Transits.”
“It typically can’t narrow the part down, so we call the dealer after that,” Malone says.
Glenn Fell, Owner
Wyndshield, Marietta, Georgia
Glenn Fell refers to OmegaEdi.com as his first choice in VIN decoders. The second choice falls to Glasspart Match, with Autobolt as the third.
“I use Omega first because I then convert to an RO and quote the job,” Fell says. “GPM gives a percentage of accuracy, Autobolt seems to be accurate quite a bit, especially with Mazda and Land Rover.”
Omega and GPM, he says, seem to struggle with those original equipment manufacturers.
“I do use Auto Glass CRM from time to time to leverage the use of the different pictures they have to send to customers if I’m having trouble with the other systems,” Fell says. “When all else fails, I call the dealer.”
Taking the Mystery Out of the VIN
One of the first steps to an auto glass replacement requires the installation technician to use a VIN decoder to determine the various features of a vehicle.
The Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN, is a unique code assigned to every vehicle, containing information about its manufacturer, model and features.
Developers of VIN decoders, devices that decipher the VIN for installers, employ databases containing information about vehicle manufacturers, models and their associated VIN codes.
In addition, rules and logic interpret the various characters in the VIN code to determine the vehicle’s make, model year, engine type and other relevant information.
The decoding process involves breaking down the VIN into specific sections that indicate different attributes of the vehicle. Those attributes include country of manufacture, manufacturer, vehicle type, engine type and more.
VIN decoders provide a wealth of information for vehicle history checks, insurance purposes and various other applications.
What Do the VIN Numbers and Letters Mean?
The first three characters in a VIN represent the World Manufacturer Identifier, which identifies the country or region where the vehicle was made. A VIN of “1G1,” for instance, signifies the vehicle was manufactured in the United States by General Motors. The “1G” represents the U.S., while the second “1” means passenger cars.
The fourth through eighth characters comprise the Vehicle Descriptor Section, which describes the vehicle’s attributes, such as the make, model, body type, engine and trim level options. For example, in VIN “YC2D7,” the “YC” refers to the make (Chevrolet), the “2” indicates the model series (Corvette), and the “D7” represents additional attributes specific to the vehicle. This section of the VIN is specific to an automaker’s coding system.
Finally the remaining characters make up the Vehicle Identifier Section, which includes the model year, manufacturing plant code, and a unique serial number.
To view the laid-in version of this issue in our digital edition, CLICK HERE.
