VIN and Vehicle Precheck App - Limited Free Lookups

C

Chengy

Member
 Warwickshire
Hi all,

There's a lot of online services on the market which can return the VIN from a registration but most of them are behind expensive reports - and from experience sometimes I just want to get the VIN only for parts research purposes.

I've created a lightweight app that returns VIN from a car registration - could you take a look and give it a go? Any feedback would be welcome.

Link: https://regtovin.com/

First 25 lookups are free using coupon code: VINFREE

Thanks in advance!
 
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Great thanks. Is it possible to go the other way? Look up the vin to find the reg?
 
I just tried my car and it worked fine despite it being on a personal plate.

That could be very useful to get the spec of an advertised car now you can't get the VIN from the Reg No. on the BMW extended warranty site. :thumbsup:
 
Chers both for the quick responses.
RMB said:
Great thanks. Is it possible to go the other way? Look up the vin to find the reg?
Click to expand...
Not at the moment but could be added in future if that would add value

Mr Tidy said:
I just tried my car and it worked fine despite it being on a personal plate.

That could be very useful to get the spec of an advertised car now you can't get the VIN from the Reg No. on the BMW extended warranty site. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback - end goal would be to able to get complete spec baed on the VIN. There's some free services out there but it's a bit iffy, and you've got to get the VIN first anyway which you won't always have, whereas reg is a lot more readily available.
 
It would certainly be of interest to me. I could then use Tony’s Z4M list to try and track down my dream M roadster one day.
 
Chengy said:
Hi all,

There's a lot of online services on the market which can return the VIN from a registration but most of them are behind expensive reports - and from experience sometimes I just want to get the VIN only for parts research purposes.

I've created a lightweight app that returns VIN from a car registration - could you take a look and give it a go? Any feedback would be welcome.

Link: https://reg-to-vin.lovable.app

First 25 lookups are free using coupon code: VINFREE

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Worked a treat for me on my 2015 E89 and 1999 Z3 👍
 
Chengy said:
Thanks for the feedback - end goal would be to able to get complete spec baed on the VIN. There's some free services out there but it's a bit iffy, and you've got to get the VIN first anyway which you won't always have, whereas reg is a lot more readily available.
Click to expand...
That would be brilliant as there don't seem to be many free sources to get the spec from the VIN any more.

Luckily I've only looked for E86s and they are all on Tony's database!
 
Very handy if you need to order specific parts that the dealer will only supply if you have an appropriate vin for the car.
 
Surely if anyone can get your vin from the reg isn’t this open to fraud? If you own the car you will know the vin. Am I missing something here?:unsure:
 
MikeyH said:
Surely if anyone can get your vin from the reg isn’t this open to fraud? If you own the car you will know the vin. Am I missing something here?:unsure:
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Good question Mikey - seems to be plenty of services online where you can pay to get the VIN from the registration, so this works in the same way?
 
Chengy said:
Good question Mikey - seems to be plenty of services online where you can pay to get the VIN from the registration, so this works in the same way?
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This is the reason so many cars for sale have their reg blotted out then.
 
Chengy said:
Hi Bombur, increased the voucher limit so it should work now
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Worked for both my Z4 and Z3. For info with the Z3 it said it was a saloon with no Model type. But Vin was correct- which is what the tool is for!
 
I use a different dealer service but you have to sign up that you won’t distribute the VIN to the general public.

I don’t know of other publically available services that tell you the vin. I know ones where you have to enter it and it will validate if it’s correct or not.

Are you sure you are allowed to distribute these VINs Chengy to the public (paid or unpaid)

I have a webservice which does the same and it’s only a short hop to then get the build spec from BMW AOS webservice but BMW block access unless you can proove you are an author of ‘technical documentation’.
 
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Street said:
I use a different dealer service but you have to sign up that you won’t distribute the VIN to the general public.

I don’t know of other publically available services that tell you the vin. I know ones where you have to enter it and it will validate if it’s correct or not.

Are you sure you are allowed to distribute these VINs Chengy to the public (paid or unpaid)

I have a webservice which does the same and it’s only a short hop to then get the build spec from BMW AOS webservice but BMW block access unless you can proove you are an author of ‘technical documentation’.
Click to expand...
Hi Street,

It’s something I’m will check on, thank you - this was more about getting a minimum viable product going and to get feedback, and it’s definitely done that.

Wonder how other sites get around it, when you just pay x amount to get the VIN from a reg. Perhaps it’s a grey area..
 
I didn't know you could proactivley get the vin from HPI sites etc. Have you got an example, I'd be curious too.

If we can crack the BMW AOS limitation there's tonnes we could do. I think lookup sites like bimmer.works and mdecoder.com are running off similar. I managed to contact one of them but they get blocked every now and again by BMW for exceeding fair usage thresholds.
 
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