VIN Decoder APIs

[clasione]

Does anyone know or recommend specific companies which sell access to a VIN Decoder API?
Looking for suggestions including the best, cheapest solution for lots of usage.
May need to run the API across 250,000 vehicles, maybe twice per day.

 

[ryan.leslie]

Hey @clasione,

I'd guess that you'll get more feedback from the community if you provide some info on your specific use case. What is the "big goal" you are hoping to achieve with the data? What problem are you trying to solve?

I have a decent amount of experience with this topic. The error rate I observed in a past work life from dealer feeds was north of 60% and often included Trim and Trans errors and omissions. I'd respectfully suggest that depending on your anticipated use, the investment in accuracy pays for itself quickly. A dealer friend had a TRD Off-road Pro Tacoma listed as an SR5 Doublecab. The valuation error was over $10,000, and that was a single error on a single unit.

I've spent some time with the team at Carfeine and am truly excited about their new offering reVIN. There may be less expensive options, but their solution is compelling since it includes "as- built" data.

You can check it out on their page here: reVIN - Carfeine

Let me know if you want for me to put you in touch with someone.

Ryan

 

[clasione]

The end goal is exactly what you are referring to.

Trim and Trans errors and omissions.
+ Simplification of even General Colors

(Midnight Blue Sapphire = Blue)
(Black Sapphire Metal = Black)

Even make and model errors by vendors who allow dealer fillable field entries.

These flexibilities by different vendors wreck havoc for auto search providers who feed in inventory from multiple DMS companies.

Need a way to synchronize all of the data.

For now, I have disabled both searches by Trim, Color and/or Body Style.

 

[craigh]

You can check it out on their page here: reVIN - Carfeine

Do you know if this is US only data?
We are struggling with many of the things you mentioned, but in Canada and overseas.

 

[ryan.leslie]

Do you know if this is US only data?
We are struggling with many of the things you mentioned, but in Canada and overseas.

Hey @craigh. Man, it has been a LONG time. I hope you are well.

I talked to my friend a few minutes ago. Canada is absolutely on the product roadmap.

 

[craigh]

Canada is absolutely on the product roadmap.

That's great news, even if that's where Canada always seems to stay

 

[Satchel Kolde]

Is there any reason not to use the free NHTSA API?

 

[clasione]

Is there any reason not to use the free NHTSA API?

I was thinking about it....
Do you know if there is a limit to how many times you can use it per day?

 

[Satchel Kolde]

I was thinking about it....
Do you know if there is a limit to how many times you can use it per day?

Looks like no limit! They say they can "easily handle" 1-2K requests per min and you can batch decode 50 VINs per request.

So should be able to decode 250K VINs in < 3 min

 

[clasione]

Looks like no limit! They say they can "easily handle" 1-2K requests per min and you can batch decode 50 VINs per request.

So should be able to decode 250K VINs in < 3 min

That sounds great.... I think this will be the tool to use then.