gotpsa

Just bought my first Porsche - a 1985/1 944. I've got a question regarding the VIN - the last 6 sequence numbers match, but the windshield starts with WP0AA0941FN and the firewall VIN starts WP0ZZZ94ZFN. Why the difference?

NZ951

Do you think the windshield would not have broken in 20 years?

MoonBoy

I have to look at mine, but is the VIN actually in the glass? I thought it was a little metal plate behind the glass. Why would this get changed by installing a new windshield?

The difference is the WP0AA is US market and WP0ZZZ is ROW(rest of world)

NZ951

My glass had it etched on... many companies do this as a security service.

MoonBoy

Ha ha, I just went outside at 3AM and got the snow off my windshield to check my VIN. My nieghbors would think me crazy if they saw that. Anyway, on my '85 944 it's a plate on the A-pillar, no etched windshield for me. Possible reasons for a different windshield/firewall VIN: 1)Somebody didn't want the firewall VIN to be seen(hmmm...) 2)A-Pillar was replaced with different one at some point(hmmm...) 3)Human error
Run a carfax on both VINs and see what turns up.

Kalbo

Hi Ron, welcome to Rennlist and the world of Porsche ownership. The 944 is a great car!

Expanding on Moonboy's response. When your car was being manufactured and assigned a WP0ZZZ vin (rest of world), this meant it was intended for export. The WP0AA vin further designated that the car would be exported to the US market.

The digit in the 9th position is different because it is a vin checksum.

Both vin(s), same car. Just drive it and enjoy it.

gotpsa

Thanks, Kalbo.

I should have reread what I wrote. When I said windshield, I mean the real VIN plate on the A-pillar.

Based on what you said, should it then be that all 944's here would have the two "different" VIN numbers - the tub/firewall designated ROW and the A-pillar specific to USA?

I had freaked at first when I got the car home. During my inspection of the car, I saw that the sequence numbers matched, but had not gone letter for letter through the whole thing. Once I started breathing again, I figured that this was some "Porsche thing" but didn't know why. I've never seen an intact car with those two VIN's not matching.

Tony K

The VINs should match entirely, but for a mistake like that to happen is not unheard of. The firewall of your car was mis-stamped, that's all. There should be a couple of other stickers and/or plates onthe car with the VIN number, or at least the ending sequential digits (I think one by the fusebox, one in the back between the tail lights behind the carpeting, and maybe on the driver's door. The "official" VIN on your car would be the one that designates it as a federal car.

In the past, this kind of mistake has happened more than it should have with other manufacturers and plants, particularly Pininfarina. I have seen three Ferrari 308s and two Fiat Spyders with mixed federal and RoW vins (but the correct sequential numbers), and in the world of Lancia Scorpions, there are actually two Scorpions in existence (I hope I am remembering this correctly) with the same VIN in the windshield, but one of them has a RoW VIN on the firewall. When the owner of the one with the mismatched VINs removed the carpeting for a restoration, he found a RoW windshield VIN on the floor under the carpet. These kinds of things happen! I wouldn't put it past Posrche to make the same kinds of mistakes!

gotpsa

Thanks, Tony.

I checked the option plate in the hatch. It has the "correct" WP0AA0 VIN. So now I'm curious - does anyone else have a car with a split VIN personality?

theedge

Mines got different prefixes. Its because the body is made and stamped with the prefix for going to Europe, then the other VINs get put on for North America. As long as the last part matches youre set.

It really confused the fat dumb cow at the US customs crossing who checked over my car as I was importing it to Canada. That and the hood release. Took her at least 10 min to decide to ask about that, and another 10 or 15+ to finally ask if I knew why the VINs were different AFTER telling me theres a big problem and waddling off to ask her supervisor or something.

Kalbo

Ron, not every Porsche has the double vin, but it is common (I'm not an expert on vins, but the question does come up often - so it must be common). Use the Rennlist search function located at the top of the page. Try searching for "Different vin zzz" and you'll see lots of threads discussing this issue. The first 944 I owned was an 85/1, and like yours it too had the 'Split Personality' as you call it.

I just hope you enjoy your car as much as I enjoyed mine.

By the way, play with the Rennlist Search function and you'll find a wealth of information in those old posts.

nine-44

As far as I have heard(working at the dealer), the chassis(firewall) is stamped apon assembly with the ZZZ. When it is manufactured and built for a specific market, North America, Japan, Great brittan, ROW, Australlia. I think those are all the variations. The rest of the Vin#s are designated for the Emissions, safety and left or right hand drive as far as the AA0, ABO etc. These are the region codes if I recall correctly? Also, as I recall, every 944 is marked like this. I'm probably wrong on some of this, but I know it's normal and related to where the car is destined for.

gotpsa

kalbo - I did use the search. Found answers to approx 8 other questions that I had. I searched for "VIN different" before posting and not even a hint of this showed up on the first 7 or 8 pages. I've only had it for 2 days, but it seems like it will be a lot of fun. I tend to buy and sell a lot so that I can try different things. This is my first P-car. I've also got a BMW 328 so I'm used to some German idiosyncracies, but this VIN thing had me stumped.

nine-44 - I am stil really curious about this, because according to what you said, _every_ North American car should have the split VIN, as everything non German should be designated ROW and then the specifics filled in later, or NA cars should be designated as such from the beginning and have only one VIN. I wonder how it is that some are one way and some are the other. Sorry, just the curious/**** side of me showing....

Tom R.

the vin on the firewall is always different than the other vin. the vin on the firewall is international, once they decide where the car is going it gets the 0AA instead of the ZZZ