VIN Lookup Database for all Brands?

[Bryan Barnett]

Hey everyone,

One of my greatest pet peeves, which I've posted about before, is the lack of a centralized VIN lookup system across all brands for dealers to use to determine correct trims and factory installed options. We are a Chrysler Jeep Dodge and Kia dealership and anytime we appraise a vehicle that is not one of those brands it's always a battle to figure out exactly what equipment the vehicle has on it and sometimes what the precise trim level is (Mazdas are the worst!). And then when we try to accurately market the vehicle online, we again don't always know what to list for equipment/features (and again sometimes even trim). At this point I've only found one brand (Ford) that has this VIN-specific information available to lookup online without being a dealer of that brand. I'm wondering if folks know of other websites where this information may be available for the various brands? If not, I have another idea that may or may not get us in trouble with our manufacturers. What about pooling together a database of dealerships of different brands who agree to help each other out by looking this stuff up? Probably not practical, but just a thought. Curious what everyone thinks....am I the only one who is driven nuts by this predicament?

 

[Chris Cachor]

Bryan, where are you entering these vehicles? From what I understand, VIN explosion isn't an exact science and that there may need to be some manual entries made to select which factory installed options are on that vehicle. If there is a field for model code, please fill that in as well because that will help better determine trim level and various options. Are you entering this into a web based inventory manager or a desktop application at the dealership?

 

[andwrig]

Bryan

Great post and I agree 100% but it's going to be very challenging to get done. I'm surprised that someone like POLK or JD Power hasn't aggregated this data so we at least know what equipment and packages came with a car when it left the factory. Other than that, it's up to us to know our stuff and describe vehicles to the best of our ability.

 

[joe.pistell]

Bryan,

Ol' Uncle Joe remembers your plea from 11 months ago! Here is your post, Nothing much has changed.

VIN = Basic Vehicle Info Only
All other info REQUIRES a walk around (physical inspection)

Problem:
If it's not your brand... what do you look for -and- how do you know if you missed anything?


Ok... how about a guided tour for your "off-brands", so you don't miss anything?

Easy. Here it is.
Enter, year, make, model and trim and you'll see an options matrix. Not sure of which trim you have? add several trims side by side and use "process by elimination" to get it right.


HTH

 

[Bryan Barnett]

Thanks for that link, Joe. Not a bad idea if need be to walk through that process of elimination.....but what a shame that we have to go through that to figure things out. Makes me jealous of the big dealer groups that would have access to VIN info on all the different brands...certainly an advantage. So no one out there must know of any other resources for this? As I mentioned in my original post I found an outlet for Ford vehicles, but that is it. And am I crazy to think a group of forward-thinking dealers of differing brands could pool together to share this info amongst themselves? I'm guessing this would be a logisitical nightmare and maybe raise the ire of our manufacturers...but perhaps there could be a way to do it? Or maybe it's just not worth the brain-damage and we just keep doing the best we can without the exact vehicle info. Any other thoughts out there?

 

[joe.pistell]

Bryan,

Are you talking about new or used or both? Is the data you're talking about on the DMS for new units? Jealous of big dealer groups that have access to WHAT Bryan, access to WHAT? Get specific, need details, need examples (something tells me you don't have an example, your making assumptions)

Let 'er Rip Bryan!

 

[Bryan Barnett]

Joe --

Used vehicles, both when doing appraisels and marketing vehicles accurately online. As a single point family run store I've never been part of a large dealer group (and never will be). But I'm guessing if you work at a Toyota dealership for a dealer group that also owns a Mazda dealership (among many other brands) and you are trying to figure out during an appraisel whether you are taking in a Mazda3 i, s, sport, touring, etc because the VIN doesn't tell you that and it's not listed on the vehicle itself, you can access the factory VIN-specific build sheet through the login/password of your Mazda store (similar to how I can look up build sheets for any Chrysler product being a Chrysler dealer). My point was that if single point/brand dealerships were to form a group to look this information up for each other, it would be mutually beneficial to everyone. Was just thinking out loud as this is probably not a realistic idea logistically...

 

[joe.pistell]

Ahhh... I'm with you now Bryan.

Chevrolet is bad too. It has big complex packages nested within its Trim levels. GM makes GMVIS, a system to drop in a VIN and pull the factory build sheet AND it's service history.

We don't use it, our inventory guys prefer the walk around using WebIOL. WebIOL usually nails the Trim level from the VIN and dishes up available options for that trim.

What inventory system are you using?

 

[Bryan Barnett]

We use IOL as well....remember my eagerness for 2.0 and the comment builder? Probably 5-10% of the time IOL is not able to figure out the trim. And it knows what factory installed options/packages were available, but obviously can't tell you which ones are actually on each particular vehicle. Therein lies the problem... Wanna swap GM info for Chrysler info, Joe? I do agree with Andwrig's post yesterday that it amazes me a big company like JD Power or Chrome hasn't found a way to convince the manufacturers to make this data available to all in the industry. I'd certainly pay a monthly fee for it....could be a big $ generator for everyone involved...

 

[joe.pistell]

Ooops, I forget your a IOL power user.

Sorry Bro, careful what you wish for. I like this big a** problem just the way it is.

I've said it before, the used car industry is on the edge of dark days. It's just 2 small steps away from a death sentence.

• 1st step: Add a VIN & get the complete vehicle Build Info (your pet peeve). Once this happens, this creates a very easy to build shopping tool that will be very very granular.
• 2nd step: Standardized vehicle condition reports (a 3rd party certified process)

The AutoTrader Tradein System is all dressed up and way ahead of its time. It's waiting... add both of the above and you've begun the beginning of the end.

When that day comes (note, I didn't say IF), the dealer will play an LESS important role in the transaction. The Internet marketers will decend on our space and build shopping tools that will make THEM the most valuable part of the shopping process.

Can't Happen?
Ask the Airlines who's making all the profits, see my spooky post here.

Yup, Stupid lil' TravelZoo is financially larger than JetBlue. PriceLine.com is financially bigger than Delta, United/Continental and SouthWest air COMBINED.

THINK ABOUT IT.

AutoTrader & Cars will be fighting with PriceLine.com, Orbitz, OverStock and others to get THEIR customer the best deal. Internet Goliaths will own the order flow and DICTATE to the dealers how it's done.

Watch this video and remove hotel and add a 4 Star 2010 Ford Explorer (in the Trim and options you spec)


We're just 2 steps from a completely new era in the Used Car Biz.