I read your column in the Dailey Sun this morning about getting build information from the VIN. How can we/you stop people from saying or writing VIN number? That’s saying vehicle information number number. Just wondering. Dave Anderson in the Villages, Fl.
Yes, in the greater scheme of things that definitely is a major problem.
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Ain’t gonna happen.
You can’t stop people from doing that. Accept it and live your life worrying about more important things.
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and exactly how would you stop people from saying it . . . ?
Make it illegal . . . ?
Put an ad out in the paper(s) telling people not do it . . . ?
tape their mouth(s) shut . . . ?
And by the way . . . it’s vehicle identification number, NOT vehicle information number 
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The same way you get people to stop saying “Hot Water Heater”.
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… or ATM machine.
This announcement has been brought to you by the Department of Redundancy Department.
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Put something over the vin? I do not understand the issue unless you are trying to get a key made from the vin number n order to steal the car. Mine is getting old enough I am thinking about leaving a signed title on the seat… I could give you my vin, what would anyone do with it?
Many, many years ago, I knew a couple that owned a Simca so problem-plagued that they resorted to parking it on the street in Manhattan with the doors unlocked, and the key in the ignition. To their dismay, even under those conditions, nobody stole that Simca.
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How about the VINtage number on wine. No more wine connoisseurs requesting a specific year.
I should have tried that with my Renault.
My brother and I briefly considered pushing his POS Datsun SPL-311 off a cliff and then claiming that it was stolen, until we realized that this would likely subject us to criminal charges. For reasons that we will never understand, the father of a neighbor bought that POS from him, thus removing a massive weight from our shoulders.
That’s right, it should be “Cold water heater”.
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What good is a VIN going to do anyone? You can’t tell who owns the car unless you have access to the DMV’s database. It can be used to verify how a car left the factor which can be very critical in determining a collector car’s worth, but there’s not much you can do with a VIN with nefarious purposes in mind. Cloning a car is about the worst thing I can think of. You might be able to glean the very general whereabouts of a given car’s location via Carfax or similar service. To me it’s like the license plate. Everyone can see it, but there’s only so much you can do with the information.
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The only advantage I can see is getting a key made by vin number.
As you can see, asking people to not say or write “VIN number” will be futile.
Or, better yet, having the key made according to its VIN!
The Department of Redundancy Department thanks you for your input.
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I have seen many posts that are redundant of what I posted, I let it go. I do not try to claim credit for posting it first. Lighten up dude!
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Talk to your senator. There should be a law. Maybe there already is?
??? Who are you talking to?