Probesport

Ok I have been looking at some VIN decoders, and now I am a little stumped.

My Vin

W P0 AB0 94 8 H N 4

What is weird, is my AB0. Can someone translate? I have gotten a few different answers to what the AB0 is.

A=Coupe?
0=Seat Belts?

What is B?

97xray

USA Vehicle Specification Code:
AA0, AA2, AB2 or CB2 = USA
There are three digits in the AB0 you have, so I'm going to give each digit a position: the "A" is in the first position, the "B" in the second, and "0" in the third...
Here's the info from a decoder I found online (credits to whomever posted it):

A in 1st position = Coupe,
C in 1st position = Cab,
A in 2nd position = 2 Litre Engine,
B in 2nd position = 3 Litre Engine
0 in 3rd position = Seat Belts,
1 in 3rd position = Driver Airbag,
2 in 3rd position = Driver/Passenger Airbag

Probesport

So do I have a 3l engine? I had always assumed it was a 2.5l

Rich Sandor

theres no way that they put a 3.0l in an 87 944 from the factory.

you must have made a mistake copying or decoding the VIN.

Probesport

Nope, just went outside as well to check that my insurance & registration form is correct.

I grabbed the little options code sticker as well to check my options.

They all say the same thing, WP0AB0948HN4

I also doubt that there is a 3.0l in here, which is why I am trying to get some better clarification.

When I get home, ill scan this tag and get a pic of the metal VIN.

I did find out however, that i used to have door ding molding on there that the PO must have removed.

Probesport

Was there even a 3.0l produced at that time?

As much as I would enjoy it being a 3.0 I really don't think it is. There must be some rational explanation..

Waterguy

[quote] A in 2nd position = 2 Litre Engine,
B in 2nd position = 3 Litre Engine
<hr></blockquote>

I am not sure I would trust that decoder. I have an A in the second position, but a 2.5 L engine, not a 2 L engine.

Probesport

[quote]Originally posted by Waterguy:
<strong>

I am not sure I would trust that decoder. I have an A in the second position, but a 2.5 L engine, not a 2 L engine. </strong><hr></blockquote>


What I am guessing is that A is 2L series engine (2.5, 2.7 etc)

Probesport

Afetr some searching, I have found a couple other 944 owners on here that also have an AB0. Odd thing is, they all happen to be 87 N/A's..

So are the decoders wrong? Is there somthing "odd" about 87's? I'll report back whatever I can find.

Dave

AFAIK, the first 3 liter motors were in the S2, this model came out late in '88 as an '89 MY and of course had a 16 valve/2 cam head. Does this sound like your motor? It sounds like the decoder might be wrong. The rest of that list doesn't sound any better, US market cars have required seatbelts since ~'68 so there's no need to have a code for that and IIRC from the time airbags came out in the 944 series, there were always 2 of 'em, so there's no need for a code for "driver airbag" on a US car.

Dave

I just remembered, the same coding has been used since the first 944 came out in '82 ( and maybe even before that on other models ), airbags were not even available then(IRC, first car with an airbag was ~'85-86) so it would have taken a lot of forethought to put a place for airbags in the VIN!

Probesport

No one else huh? This si still puzzling to me.

Olli Snellman

[quote]A in 1st position = Coupe,
C in 1st position = Cab,
A in 2nd position = 2 Litre Engine,
B in 2nd position = 3 Litre Engine
0 in 3rd position = Seat Belts,
1 in 3rd position = Driver Airbag,
2 in 3rd position = Driver/Passenger Airbag <hr></blockquote>

You are totally wrong.
I can't check out just now what all of these codes mean, but there are at least the following info:
-model
-manufacturing plant
-year
-month
-vechiles own running number
etc.etc.

VIN does not contain info about seat belts etc. or other equipements

kasturbo

[quote]Originally posted by Olli Snellman:
<strong>

You are totally wrong.
I can't check out just now what all of these codes mean, but there are at least the following info:
-model
-manufacturing plant
-year
-month
-vechiles own running number
etc.etc.

VIN does not contain info about seat belts etc. or other equipements</strong><hr></blockquote>

Yes, aren't those codes located in front of the spare tire in the rear hatch area?

97xray

I was just posting what I found a long while ago online. I guess I should have been explicit:
I don't have the answer to the question, however, the listing I posted came from some random internet website and MIGHT be of assitance.

Now that I look at the list, I have to agree that the 3L series seems a bit far-fetched knowing that those engines weren't introduced until much later.

Here's the link so everyone can check the whole decoder and make your own decisions:
<a href="http://members.optusnet.com.au/~dr_scott/id.htm" target="_blank">http://members.optusnet.com.au/~dr_scott/id.htm</a>

And here are two more
<a href="http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/3322/spec.htm" target="_blank">http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/3322/spec.htm</a>
<a href="http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Pit/4786/VINAnat.html" target="_blank">http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Pit/4786/VINAnat.html</a>

Hope these help figure this out.