VIN and/or chassis numbers | FerrariChat

VIN and/or chassis numbers

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by joopjoldersma, Feb 7, 2004.

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  1. joopjoldersma

    joopjoldersma Formula Junior

    Dec 6, 2003
    364
    Holland
    Full Name:
    Joop Joldersma
    Why don't people state the VIN and/or chassis number with their pictures?
    It is a part of the car, it shows it's heritage and is of great interest (at least to some of us).
    In some cases, particularly old cars, it is difficult to find/see. But on newer models it is so easy. And all owners should know it!
    I am very curious as to the answers.

    Joop
     
  2. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Formula Junior

    Apr 17, 2003
    563
    Groningen
    Full Name:
    Bob Hagendijk
    Agree, a lot of people say it's private, salesman kick you out of their buildings if they see you writing them down...

    What is wrong with it? It's not like we're writing down down the keylocknumber to duplicate the key or something.

    Also very interested in any reactions
     
  3. cavallino

    cavallino Formula Junior

    Aug 21, 2003
    449
    Switzerland
    Full Name:
    Alain
    Yes, I am often confronted with those reaction. I don't understand why, they certainly have something to hide :).
     
  4. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 30, 2003
    17,564
    Savannah
    hey DR Bob ya hit on a good point. with a cars vin you can get the key codes and make a set of keys and steal the car with out damaging it.i am not an evil person but this stuff is common knowledge. depends on ones connections i assume. some idiot tried to steal one of my cars once , after they destroyed the steering column, i guess they then popped the hood release to see the freaking distributer was out of the engine as was the battery.good thing i had another column in the attic. personally i am very uncomfortable giving vin numbers out to anyone for any reason.
     
  5. ghost

    ghost F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Dec 10, 2003
    10,043
    Singapore
    I find this an interesting comment, only because 99.9% of the car's advertised on eBay have VIN numbers listed (it's a mandatory field input when listing a car). In addition, most dealers (which comprise ~85% of cars sold on eBay) readily list where they are located in the description of their ad. If what you say is true, couldn't somebody be having a field day stealing cars! Just curious to understand the issue?!

    Thanks.
     
  6. davequick

    davequick Formula Junior

    May 27, 2003
    307
    Bellevue, WA
    Full Name:
    Dave Quick
    but the VIN on all the newer cars of all makes are visible through the front window of the car.... it's not like you have to "give it out" I mean it's on the car for the pleasure of the viewing public at shows in parking spots, etc.

    Seems kind of non-logical to "guard" it... if someone steals it as a result of it being public then it's ironinc.... since insurance would cover it and the reason there are VIN #s in the first place is mostly the insurance lobby so they could more easily spot fraud. :)

    Just my $0.02.

    -dq
     
  7. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 30, 2003
    17,564
    Savannah
    ghost, great point, in the context of specifically going into a fcar dealer and getting run out for writing down vin #s is what i should have specified. as stated above the vin is visible ( which is required by law as far as i know) and if anyone really wants the car, no matter what it is , they are most likely going to get it. ebay ect are good examples,but you would have to live near the dealer to go do anything evil. i was speaking more on a personal level of randomly giving vin numbers. chasis/body numbers are good for owners groups and such. sorry i guess i am just paranoid!
     
  8. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Formula Junior

    Apr 17, 2003
    563
    Groningen
    Full Name:
    Bob Hagendijk
    Is this actually true? Can somebody back this up? Because I fins it hard to believe. Because the VIN has to be visible. I think if this is true, we should have heard about it more often.

    But apart from that, are there any other reasons not to share the VIN of your car? I haven't heard a lot from other owners or dealerships. I'm not saying those are bad people because they don't, I'm just curious why.
     
  9. Wolfgang

    Wolfgang F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Mar 8, 2003
    16,743
    Heidelberg, Germany
    Full Name:
    Wolfgang
    Don`t care about `cause the VIN is on top of the steering wheel and EVERYBODY can read it looking thru the windscreen.

    Here is mine:
    ZFFAA17B000091239
    Ferrari Testarossa 1991

    protected in & by:
    - garage
    - smith & wesson
    - a bad, bad dog
    - alarm system w/highvoltage

    Wolfarossa
    FORZA FERRARI
     
  10. El Wayne

    El Wayne F1 World Champ
    Staff Member Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Aug 1, 2002
    18,043
    San Marino, CA
    Full Name:
    L. Wayne Ausbrooks
    Okay, I work at a dealership and, with a VIN number of a car (from the same make that we sell only), I can look up the key code and have a key made. I suppose an employee of another Ferrari dealership could, theoretically, jot down a VIN number, go back to his dealership and have a key cut. Even so, he could do this with any Ferrari on the street, so who cares? Besides, that's what insurance is for.
     
  11. joopjoldersma

    joopjoldersma Formula Junior

    Dec 6, 2003
    364
    Holland
    Full Name:
    Joop Joldersma

    Wayne,

    I guess there must be somekind of security to getting the keycode. Would it be possible for me to get it (assuming I am not a malicious person anmd really trying to steal a car)?
    Also it is a security to seeing/buying a replica car. I see many of these around. And I don't mean e.g. a 250GTO replica from a 330GT, on these still Ferrari's you can at least see their come-off.

    Joop
     
  12. Bart

    Bart Formula 3

    Nov 1, 2003
    1,522
    Orange County, Calif
    Full Name:
    Bart
    Sn # 108108
     
  13. F SPIDER

    F SPIDER F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Jan 30, 2002
    2,873
    NYC, A'dam, W'stock
    Full Name:
    rijk rietveld
    SN 14771,

    Rijk
     
  14. joopjoldersma

    joopjoldersma Formula Junior

    Dec 6, 2003
    364
    Holland
    Full Name:
    Joop Joldersma
    Thanks for the serial numbers.
    I hope more of you will/can do that and with a pictures would be even greater.

    Joop
     
  15. SefacHotRodder

    SefacHotRodder F1 World Champ

    Dec 20, 2003
    11,148
    NJ
    Full Name:
    Chris
    has anyone been thrown out of a dealer here for writing or taking a pic of a vin? When i go to the uk this summer i hope to get some and i'm just wondering if some dealers can get REALLY annoyed by this.

    Cheers
     
  16. evandaalen

    evandaalen Formula 3
    Consultant

    Feb 7, 2004
    2,394
    Deventer, NL
    Full Name:
    Edvar van Daalen
    I don't think you will have problems in the UK, but always be careful or ask for permission. I've heard plenty of "bad stories" regarding taking pics of VIN or writing down information. But UK shouldn't be a problem. France or Italy is far more difficult ....
     
  17. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Formula Junior

    Apr 17, 2003
    563
    Groningen
    Full Name:
    Bob Hagendijk
    UK won't be a very big provlem since most businesses post them on their site themselves.
     
  18. gaggi

    gaggi Karting

    Dec 8, 2003
    114
    Switzerland
    You have 2 solutions: either you ask and take the risk to be refused or you do it in secret. This can be done relatively easily (depends on the showroom) with a small numeric voice recorder. It can be kept either in the pocket of a shirt or in your hand and you approach your mouth when you have to speak.

    Ciao
    Greg
     
  19. ghost

    ghost F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Dec 10, 2003
    10,043
    Singapore
    I think we're getting a little side tracked here. I thought the issue in the original post was: why people don't post the VIN / Serial # of their car. Why would you want to start jotting down VIN / Serial #'s on the sly of cars you see in dealers?? If you want to know the history of a car you are interested in when you are at a dealer, as detailed by the VIN, you should be able to ask them without hesitation to run a CarFax. Any reputable dealer will run this immediately and gratis -- this has always been the case with me. Perhaps I'm missing something?! :confused:
     
  20. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Formula Junior

    Apr 17, 2003
    563
    Groningen
    Full Name:
    Bob Hagendijk
    In the UK you have crazy people called trainspotters. They stand on misty train stations in the middle of nowhere writing down the numbers of the trainsthat pass. They have a view of every train that has driven somewhere.

    You have that too with Ferrari-people. All these people together have way more info that carfax can ever provide. And it is just a hobby, everybody is a little crazy, isn't it? :)
     

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