# Help with 12-digit VIN decode? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [December 5, 2017, 10:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023 "2017-12-05T10:59:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nikkolaus](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nikkolaus/32/9626_2.png) [@nikkolaus](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nikkolaus)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 10:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023/1 "2017-12-05T10:59:58Z")
A vehicle was given to my mother for free many months ago, and I snapped a photo of the engine and VIN, with hopes in finding more info about the car, and worth. However, I have completely forgotten the Make/Model. Can you decode this 12-digit car VIN for me? 2T87R3130516 Thank you to anyone who helps! ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 1:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023/2 "2017-12-05T13:29:39Z")
I recommend the following tools: > **[How to Read a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) | YourMechanic Advice](https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-decode-a-vin-vehicle-identification-number-by-jason-unrau)** > > A vehicle identification number, or VIN, identifies your car. It’s made up of individual numbers and letters with special significance, and provides information about your vehicle. Each VIN is unique to the vehicle. You may... [https://www.autocheck.com/vehiclehistory/autocheck/en/referralLandingPageWide](https://www.autocheck.com/vehiclehistory/autocheck/en/referralLandingPageWide) BTW, you’re missing characters from your VIN. It doesn’t appear to be a valid VIN. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 2:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023/3 "2017-12-05T14:09:36Z")
Can’t remember either the Make or Model ? Well find out and use an online site like Kelly Blue Book for value , Google for information about vehicle. And while may not be a problem I would not put my VIN on an open web forum. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 2:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023/4 "2017-12-05T14:20:24Z")
The 17 digit VIN only became standard in 1981. Anything older than that is a free-for-all and can be very hard to trace unless you know more about the car, as most VIN decoding sites expect a 17 digit string. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 3:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023/5 "2017-12-05T15:09:13Z")
Do you know your mother’s phone number? Maybe she could look at the registration and give you the information. Make/model/complete VIN. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 3:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023/6 "2017-12-05T15:12:45Z")
If you post the photo of the engine, I bet we can guess the make, maybe model, and maybe even the year more or less. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 6:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023/7 "2017-12-05T18:47:23Z")
Posting a picture of the car would be more helpful. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 6:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023/8 "2017-12-05T18:49:13Z")
Of course, but he said he had a photo of the vin and a photo of the engine… ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 7:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023/9 "2017-12-05T19:10:28Z")
Just asking, but why would you take a pic of the vin and the engine and not the car? Especially if you forgot what kind of car it was? ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 9:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023/10 "2017-12-05T21:41:31Z")
We may never find out what this vehicle is . But if someone gave me a free car all I would need to know is : does it need an oil change - new tires - timing belt change if it has one - are brakes in good condition - condition of battery other than that I don’t know what a VIN search would accomplish. ---
**Author:** ![nikkolaus](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nikkolaus/32/9626_2.png) [@nikkolaus](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nikkolaus)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 11:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023/11 "2017-12-06T11:37:07Z")
…because I was visiting from out of town to her place, and it was under a car cover… ---
**Author:** ![nikkolaus](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nikkolaus/32/9626_2.png) [@nikkolaus](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nikkolaus)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 11:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023/12 "2017-12-06T11:39:33Z")
![IMG_20170617_093644](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/0/0a604b8620b8a1272f1d313aa37cf17a2efeb9e3.jpg) ![IMG_20170617_093655](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/7/7a17d25b36310b15d6e2c02a9928796fadeb34ae.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![nikkolaus](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nikkolaus/32/9626_2.png) [@nikkolaus](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nikkolaus)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 11:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023/13 "2017-12-06T11:44:25Z")
> I would not put my VIN on an open web forum. 1. Not my car. No trace to me. 2. It’s no different than someone snapping a photo of a VIN off the car on the street. 3. Mr. Sauer is more than happy to deal with anyone who wants to play around. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 2:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023/14 "2017-12-06T14:09:34Z")
> [@nikkolaus](#): > > Mr. Sauer is more than happy to deal with anyone who wants to play around. Who is Mr. Sauer? ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 2:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023/15 "2017-12-06T14:19:07Z")
> [@nikkolaus](#): > > …because I was visiting from out of town to her place, and it was under a car cover How hard would it have been to remove cover ? If the rest of the vehicle looks as bad as the engine compartment just call the salvage yard. ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 2:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023/16 "2017-12-06T14:37:00Z")
I’m sure he’s referring to Sig Sauer, European cousin to Mr. Smith & Wesson and distant relative of Mr. Glock. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 2:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023/17 "2017-12-06T14:38:16Z")
I thought it might be something like that, but Google wasn’t very helpful in finding the answer. ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 2:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023/18 "2017-12-06T14:40:12Z")
The car is a mid-70s Pontiac. Need to see the grille to tell more. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 2:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023/19 "2017-12-06T14:42:14Z")
In that case, it would probably make a fine restoration project for someone who has the time, money, and desire to do it. I sure wouldn’t junk it if I could sell it. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023/20 "2017-12-06T14:44:43Z")
Until the year , make and model are known thoughts on restoration can’t be made. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-with-12-digit-vin-decode/110023.md?page=2)