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Jimbob View Drop Down
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Points: 190 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: VIN Number problem
    Posted: 30-August-2005 at 06:42

Seriously though, this does give me a problem, and its something everyone should watch out for.

The new style MOTs that are now being issued list your VIN number, and this must exactly match what DVLA hold for your car, or you cant get tax!
And so says Jimbob.
1981 635csi 81k miles. Will be fixed, but not by me.
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Jimbob View Drop Down
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Points: 190 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29-August-2005 at 16:50

Lol!

probably best!
And so says Jimbob.
1981 635csi 81k miles. Will be fixed, but not by me.
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phb10186 View Drop Down
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Points: 331 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29-August-2005 at 16:33

What you could do is change the number on your car using tippex or a permanant marker.

 

you will sleep a lot better at night then!
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siscobmw View Drop Down
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Points: 201 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27-August-2005 at 17:20

The engine number is located near the starter motor: open the bonnet, go on the left side of the car ,look at the engine near the bulkhead. at the edgeof iron block between the gearbox bellhousing and the starter motor You will see something like 35 6 E (hopefully)and then 7 digits...

SiSco from North Italy
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Jimbob View Drop Down
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Points: 190 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26-August-2005 at 15:29

Yep, spot on.  I found a number for BMW customer services in another post (thanks Horsetan!) and they were really helpful.

I gave them the VIN (on the car) and they confirmed 1981, 635csi, coupe, M30, auto, Chestnut red and Parchment Leather. All correct.

I told him my problem and he confirmed that the V5 VIN was invalid - never issued by BMW, and offered to write me a letter confirming it all.

If only DVLA were so helpful! It seems they wont admit to an error even with a supporting letter from BMW, and basically said that if the VIN on the car dosn't match the V5, then its not the same car. Full stop.

God knows what I'll do next...
And so says Jimbob.
1981 635csi 81k miles. Will be fixed, but not by me.
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Brucey View Drop Down
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Points: 744 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26-August-2005 at 14:55

http://www.bmw-z1.com/VIN/VINdecode-e.cgi

http://www.analogx.com/contents/vinview.htm

are two.

They both show your car as an 81 model with an M30 engine and auto transmission- sounds right eh?.....

cheers

 

~~~~~~~ Brucey   ~~~~~~
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Points: 744 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25-August-2005 at 14:21

your car is actually uniqwuely identified by the last seven digits only. the rest of the VIN is guff about what model the car is, when it was made, what factory etc etc etc.

There is a web-based VIN code cracker that will spit out details of your BMW based on the seven digits. If your car is nothing like, smell a rat. Otherwise suspect DVLA muppetry.

cheers

 

~~~~~~~ Brucey   ~~~~~~
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UKDaveJ View Drop Down
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Points: 529 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-August-2005 at 18:22
Originally posted by Jimbob Jimbob wrote:

The V5 lists the engine number as the same 7 digits as the end of the VIN. Where do I find the actual engine number?


On the engine of course....

Joking aside, never looked myself, but would guess it will be on the block, probably on the side thats easiest to view, i.e. not the inlet side.

Will also depend how clean your block is as to how easy it will be to see.

Hopefully someone else who knows where the number is can be far more accurate than my wild guesstimate.

Good luck Jim!
My 635's.
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Jimbob View Drop Down
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Points: 190 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-August-2005 at 18:01
The V5 lists the engine number as the same 7 digits as the end of the VIN. Where do I find the actual engine number?
And so says Jimbob.
1981 635csi 81k miles. Will be fixed, but not by me.
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AndyS View Drop Down
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Points: 1365 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-August-2005 at 17:58
Does the engine number match?
AndyS
Live each day as if it's your last - one day it will be.
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UKDaveJ View Drop Down
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Points: 529 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-August-2005 at 17:07
Wish I could help.

Have you asked the previous owner about this, if only to establish if they found the same problem & looked into it?

V5 error caused by the muppets down at DVLA....

Do you have any service history with the car? If you have, contact the last servicing dealer/indie etc & see what their records show.

Good luck,

D
My 635's.
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Jimbob View Drop Down
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Points: 190 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-August-2005 at 16:35

Hi all,

I've got a bit of a problem as it turns out, and thought one of you might have a suggestion.

A bit of history to start: I bought my 1981 635csi a couple of months ago, and didn't spend a fortune so was expecting to have to spend a fair bit to get it sorted, so was nicely suprised when it got through a check from a specialist with a clean bill of health; a few bits of rust, and an exhaust back box on the way out only things worth mentioning.

Anyway, here is the problem. When I got the V5 through, the VIN is listed as WBA53420005585781, but, you probably already guessed, it doesn't match the one on the car. The plate under the bonnet lists the VIN as WBAEC4200B5585781.

The odd thing about all this is that the last 7 digits are the same, and the V5 one seems not to be valid.

Can anyone shed any light?

 
And so says Jimbob.
1981 635csi 81k miles. Will be fixed, but not by me.
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