Underwriting
How VIN Determines Your Car's Value
Every offer we send starts with the 17-character Vehicle Identification Number. Without it, we cannot confirm what you actually own, what options it left the factory with, or whether the title and the car still match. This is why our offer form requires the VIN. Here is what the VIN reveals and why a serious buyer will not work without it.
What the VIN encodes
The VIN is a structured 17-character identifier issued by the manufacturer at the point of assembly. The first 3 characters identify the country, manufacturer, and vehicle type. The next 6 characters describe the vehicle attributes (engine, body, restraint system, model line). Position 10 is the model year. Position 11 is the assembly plant. The final 6 characters are a serial number unique to that vehicle.
That structure means a VIN check answers the foundational questions about a car: what is it, when was it made, where was it built, and is it actually that car.
What we run the VIN against
- NHTSA vPIC. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's vehicle product information catalog returns factory-equipped specifications, restraint systems, and recall data.
- Title history (NMVTIS). The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System aggregates state DMV title records, brand history (salvage, rebuilt, junk, flood), and odometer disclosures.
- Accident and damage history. Through commercial data providers, we check reported insurance claims, prior service work indicating structural repair, and auction-yard appearances.
- Recall status. Open recalls, especially safety recalls, affect our valuation and your transferability of the car.
- Manufacturer records. For brands with VIN-tied service histories (Ferrari Classiche, Porsche Heritage), we can validate model authenticity and configuration matching.
Why VIN-less offers do not work
Without a VIN, the most we can do is offer a value range based on year, make, model, and condition. A range is not a binding offer. Our written offers commit to a dollar amount in writing, valid for 7 days, with the only contingency being the car matching its representation. That commitment is only possible when we know exactly which car we are talking about.
Sellers occasionally ask why we cannot just send a ballpark number. The answer is that ballpark numbers create disputes at closing. We would rather decline the offer than send a number that has to change once we see the actual car.
Where to find your VIN
- Driver-side dashboard at the base of the windshield, visible from outside the car
- Driver-side door jamb sticker (federal certification label)
- Title and registration documents
- Insurance card (some insurers print the VIN)
- Service receipts from manufacturer dealerships
The VIN is 17 characters with no letters I, O, or Q. If your VIN has only 11 characters, you have a pre-1981 car and we use the manufacturer body number plus your title for verification.
What if the VIN does not match the title
VIN-title mismatches happen rarely but they matter. Common cases: a clerical typo when the title was last issued, a salvage-rebuild where the new title was issued with a different VIN, or a swap where parts from one car are on another. Each requires a different resolution path. We can usually work through the resolution if you provide the title and a photo of the dashboard VIN plate, but it does add 7 to 21 days to the closing timeline.
The short version
The VIN is how we move from a conversation to a written commitment. We require it because we want to be the kind of buyer that honors our offer at closing. If you do not have the VIN handy, find it before submitting the form; if you genuinely cannot produce a VIN, we are not the right buyer for that car.
Submit your VIN and the rest of the car details. Firm written offer in 24 hours.