How to decode RX-8 VIN numbers?
 

How do you decode a VIN number? Doesn't the VIN number tell you when and where your car was built? I'm more interested in when....

I just found this info after I posted this. But still not sure how to find when my car was made, Anyone have any ideas?

Description: Position (Decoded Data)
Region: 1 (J, Asia)
Country: 1-2 (JM, Japan)
Manufacturer: 2-3 (M1, Mazda)
Model Specific: 4-8 (FE173, Unknown)
Check Digit: 9 (2, Valid)
Year: 10 (4, 2004)
Assembly Plant: 11 (0, Hiroshima)
Serial Number: 12-17 (100673, 100673)

The VIN I used is sburkett's.

The website to do any VIN is wwwAnalogX.com.

build date is on the tag on the edge of the door. no decoder ring recessary :)

gotta check that out, picked up today better not be that old,wish i knew that first, from whta i read think i wanted the dunlops

When you say the year do you mean the year it was built or the model number? My dealership told me I have warranty until April 2015, and my other one said November 2014... my vin says 06... does that mean it's an 06 model or that's when it was built. From what I understand, that's not always the same thing???

Warranty is based on the day it was sold to the first owner, not on on the model year.

hmm okay, I thought that might be it. So again, if it was built in November 06, is it an 06 model or 07? Does the number on the vin correspond to the model or the build date?

What does the cars title, insurance & registration say?
Mine was built in Oct. 2003, but is considered an 04 (purchased 6/04). In the run from 2003 to 2008, the cars were mostly the same. The year really didn't matter. The only change, I can think of, was in the ECU.

Build date doesn't really mean anything.
My CX-5 has a build date of 1/13 and it's a 2014.

You need to look at your title and VIN to find out what model year vehicle it is.
You were given the code in a post above, so go look at either your car, or your registration to figure out what year it is.

Regardless, none of that will answer when your warranty expiration date is.
You need to either ask a dealer or ask Mazda what the original sale date was.

BC.

good morning

about to buy a rx8 and i need help figuring out what year it is
my vin is JMZSE17N200148047

the decoder does not give me any matches
can someone help me plz

the model year and build date are two different things, usually it isn't that big of a deal, but for things like federal emissions, and warranties, sometimes we do need to split hairs.

the VIN will give you the model year, which is how the car is equipped as far as emissions and safety stuffs.

the build date is when it was built, simple.

the warranty starts when the car was first sold, so you need the sell date. if it is an aftermarket warranty, that would have its own start date.

with Mazda they usually start the model year in about august, and end in june, although there are some exceptions.

for example, i have Rx8 #3314, and it was built in early september of 2003, as a 2004 model. the 2004 model year production would have ended around june (<-not fact checked) and then the 2005's would have started around august.

the notable exception to the usual chain of events is the 1993 Rx7, they started production 12/28/1991, and the 1993 model year production run ended in about may of 1992, so there are no 1993 Rx7's that were actually built in 1993.

its because you have a euro car. the vin is different, however the pieces work the same

J = japan
MZ = Mazda
SE17= Rx8

etc

but the tenth figure in my vin is a 0 so i still cant figure out wat year it is
btw the dealership is sayin it is a 2008??
am i getting robbed???
and where can i see my manufacture date?

Robbed of what? If you don't want it, don't buy it. The title will have the true model year on it. If you're so set on finding the manufacture completion day is on a sticker on the back of the gauge cluster (mm/dd) and the year is listed somewhere near it, and also on a sticker inside the driver side door sil (mm/yy I think).

Also, carfax.

That isnt a valid vin. Compare it to the VIN plate under the lower corner of the windshield and above the engine on the firewall. See if you typed it wrong or if the number is different on one of them.

i dont wanna pay 2008 price for a older model

i double and triple checked
its the correct vin

It can't be.

The 3rd character needs to be a number, and you have a letter. All Mazdas start with JM1.

If this is for an RX-8, the 4th and 5th letters will be FE, not SE

So all vins for an RX-8 start with JM1FE... Yours doesn't even start with that. Even if I correct the first 5 digits to those 5, it's an invalid check digit. Even if i correct it to the right check digit, the vin isn't recognized.

The vin you posted isn't valid, something is typoed or misread somewhere.

pics dont lie

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1418593504

Oh, that is an Australian VIN. That's why. You should really put your location because that ends up making a difference quite frequently.

Send a PM to Ash8 with the VIN asking if he can give you any information on it. He is a moderator in Australia and can usually look up information on RX-8s by VIN.

thanks buddy :)

btw the dealer imported frm england

Related question - does anyone know where to find a traceable vin tag? By traceable I mean able to be reached with a pencil and paper and raised lettering. The lovely state of Pennsylvania requires this for out of state registrations because...well who knows why this archaic step is necessary. The dash tag is not reachable with a pencil unfortunately and by the time I get home from work it is dark out...all I can find online is chassis number location, engine number and the dash vin. The car is not currently registered either so it is sitting in my driveway until I can get tags for it. Help much appreciated!

Edit: sorry I don't mean to hijack, I'm not allowed to create a separate thread yet and hoping to get this thing registered today. Also hello rx8club!

There is a raised one accessible on the firewall in the engine bay above the intake.

i thought it was recessed pearl