Fantod

I've been scouring a few dealer web sites looking for cabs and checking serial #'s to determine the age of the car.
Reason being the longer it's been on the lot- the better chance of getting a better deal.
I understand the meaning of all the VIN #digits except for the 9th digit.
I believe it is an NTSA code # but I can't determine what the difference is between the #'s.
Does anyone know why one car will have a 2 , another will have a 7,
and another will have an X etc?
They could be just fillers but that does not make sense.

Poursha

Here's my understanding of the VIN, using a 2002 Carrera coupe as an example:
W = West Germany
P0 = Porsche
A = Coupe
A = Destination America
2 = Restraint System: Manual Seat Belts w/ Dual SRS Airbags
99 = First and Second Digits of Type: 99 of 996
3 = Test/Check Digit
2 = Model Year: 2002
S = Build City: Stuttgart
6 = Third Digit of Type: 6 of 996
2 = Body Engine Code: US Carrera
0592 = Serial Number

The last 3 digits will tell you which car (of same type) was produced earlier.

dhud

There was a discussion regarding decoding the 996 VIN in March on this forum. You may want to search for the thread. According to the info I have, the Ninth position is simply a check digit per NHTSA code. I don't have any specific info on what a number or letter means, if anything. I hope that helps.

Fantod

I did try to find a thread in the search engine but I came up empty.
The 9th digit may mean nothing but it is bizzare that there appears no rhyme or reason for the digit that is used, but every other # has a unique meaning.

dhud

Fantod:

I did a quick search and found this. It still doesn't answer your question but is good guide to break down the VIN. I found it when I did a search under VIN # decoding. Credit goes to DavidinPDX.

VIN breakdown
Porsche Model
99 6 (996)
Example --- WP0AA2992XS621365

First and Second Position
WP = Porsche

Third Position
0 = Sports Car
1 = SUV

Fourth Position – Model Type
A = 911 coupe, 911 Carrera 2,4, 911 turbo coupe, 924S coupe, 928 S4 coupe (1991),
944 coupe, 944S coupe, 944 turbo coupe, Cayenne
B = 911 Carrera 2,4 Targa
C = 911 Carrera 2,4 cabriolet, Boxster
D = 911 Targa (M.Y. 1996 on)
E = 911 Targa + cabriolet, 911 turbo, Targa, cabriolet (prior to M.Y. 1989)
J = 928 S4 coupe, 911 turbo coupe

Fifth Position – Engine Type
A = normally aspirated, V6 Cayenne
B = Boxster “S”, V8 Cayenne
C = Turbo

Sixth Position – Restraint System
0 = Active
2 = Passive

Ninth Position – Check Digit
Per NHTSA code

Tenth Position – Model Year
B = 1981 L = 1990 Y = 2000
C = 1982 M = 1991 1 = 2001
D = 1983 N = 1992 2 = 2002
E = 1984 P = 1993 3 = 2003
F = 1985 R = 1994 4 = 2004
G = 1986 S = 1995 5 = 2005
H = 1987 T = 1996 6 = 2006
J = 1988 V = 1997 7 = 2007
K = 1989 W = 1998 8 = 2008
X = 1999 9 = 2009


Eleventh Position – Production Plant
N = Neckarsulm
S = Stuttgart
U = Finland (Boxster)

Thirteenth through Seventeenth Position
series number


Porsche Models
911
477 (924/924S)
928 (928/928S/S4)
930 (911 turbo)
944 (944,944S)
951 (944 turbo)
964 (911 C2, C4, M.Y. 1989 – 1994)
993 (911 M.Y. 1995 – 1998)
993 (911 turbo M.Y. 1996 – 1997)
996 (911 M.Y. 1999 – on )
986 (Boxster)
9PA (Cayenne, Cayenne S, Cayenne Turbo)

Lee from Toronto

See:

http://www.vehicleidentificationnumber.com/NHTSA_vehicle_identification_number_content.html

About half-way down it shows how to calculate the 9th digit from the rest of the VIN, to ensure the integrity of the entire VIN.