VIN Basics Blog

85-90% of auto shoppers conduct online research, according to a MillwardBrown study. And 64% of online vehicle shoppers compare different models as part of the process, according to a recent study commissioned by Cox Automotive. Still many auto listing and dealership websites do not offer a comparison tool, or have buried it on their website.

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Topics: Auto Portals, Automotive Data, Dealers, Vehicle Shopping

This post has been republished with updates since its original publish date in March 2012

You've tried to decode a VIN, or a handful of VINs, but for whatever reason you keep getting an invalid VIN message. This can be extremely frustrating, especially if you have no idea what might be causing the failed decode(s). There are quite a few reasons why a VIN won't decode.

If you're having trouble decoding vehicles in your inventory, consider this list of errors and challenges commonly faced when working with Vehicle Identification Numbers.

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Topics: Automotive Data, VIN

Over the last 5 years, there has been a paradigm shift in marketing and advertising across all industries. The "spray and pray" method, hammer everyone with promotional content and hope it sticks, is finally fading, as businesses become more strategic in their messaging.

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Topics: Automotive Data, Vehicle Equipment, Dealers

Is there a difference between a VIN decoder and a VIN check? What information is available from decoding a VIN number? Does a VIN check provide vehicle history data? All of these are valid questions that many consumers and even automotive industry professionals are unsure about.

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Topics: Automotive Data, VIN, Vehicle Equipment, 3rd Party Mapping

If you have kept up with the news or social media on any level, then the Takata airbag recall should ring a bell. It has been deemed the largest recall in U.S. history, totaling almost 34 million vehicles (1 in 4 on the road). The NHTSA has thus far listed 11 manufacturers with multiple models affected by this recall. So far the list consists of BMW, Chrysler, Daimler Trucks, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota. Let's not forget about their sister companies such as Acura, Infiniti and Lexus.

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Topics: Automotive Data, VIN, Vehicle Equipment, Dealers, 3rd Party Mapping

Paying for a service based on usage is not a new business model, as we’ve seen it used with cellular and internet service providers, but is now growing as a popular automotive insurance option available through several insurance providers. Usage-based insurance (UBI), also known as pay-as-you-drive (PAYD), uses key metrics such as accrued mileage and driving behaviors to determine insurance rates for individuals or businesses.

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Topics: Automotive Data, Insurance, Automotive Technology, Vehicle Equipment

The process of underwriting for auto insurance policies involves many steps and needs to account for a number of risk variables. The vehicle specifications are just one piece to consider when assessing risk. Some others include client demographics, geography, and driving history. 

As the variety of available vehicle safety equipment continues to increase, so does their effect on insurance risk ratings. It’s important that underwriters utilize the right resources to help them understand the options available, thereby saving them time and increasing process accuracy.

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Topics: Automotive Data, Safety, Insurance, Automotive Technology, Vehicle Equipment

In this day in age, there's so much work to get done with such a small window of opportunity to do it in. Many of us have our time spread thin between work, family and social lives; so after a long days work, having to take more work home is less than ideal! This is where utilizing a 3rd party solution(s) becomes a necessity for many businesses. 

The saying "time is money" applies to most all professions, however, maybe none more so than professionals in the automotive industry. Regardless of which segment you work in (auto sales, marketing, insurance, software development, logistics, etc.) there will be a number of items on your team's agenda that cannot be contracted to a 3rd party. Luckily, with vehicle data solutions readily available from trusted data providers, you are not stuck having to create a solution in-house.  In fact, with the availability of delivered data, web services and hosted software solutions, integrating these products has never been easier.     

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Topics: Automotive Data

Online quotes have revolutionized the world of car insurance, by providing multiple quotes, quickly, from different carriers. This has created an environment where consumers shop around for the lowest premium possible and may do so as frequently as once or twice a year. As a result, there is a consistent demand for online quoting, both from the insurers directly as well as from third party sites that provide quote comparison tools, and an increase in competition.

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Topics: Auto Portals, Automotive Data, Vehicle, VIN, Insurance, Auto Manufacturers

Never before have there been more ways for auto dealers to market inventory to customers - who are able to take advantage of unprecedented availability of vehicle data and methods of comparison shopping.

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Topics: Automotive Data, Marketing, VIN, Safety, Vehicle Valuations