VIN Decoder?

[msink]

Anyone have info on how to decode an Elise VIN number, or what can be determined by the public from the number?

Thanks,
Mark

[RoadDad]

Here ya go:

[charliex]

• SCC Lotus UK
• 4 P=2ZZ NA, S=Europa, V=2ZZ SC 220, W=2ZZ SC 240, Y=1ZZ, Z = sc non c/c, L = motorsport
• 5 A = Active Belts, B = SIR driver and active belts, C=SIR Driver/passenger and active belts,P = Passive Belts
• 6 111=Elise, 123= Europa, 123=211
• 10 Model year T = 1996, C = 2012, TVWXY12345689ABC
• 11 H=Hethel, B=Shah Alam
• 12 A = LHD USA, B = LHD Canadian, C = RHD other, D = LHD Other, F = Approved UK SVA RHD, G = Approved UK SVA LHD, H = LHD MotorSport, J = RHD MotorSPort, K = Central MotorSport, L = LHD USA AC, M = LHD Canadian AC, M = RHD Other AC, P = LHD Other AC, R=UK SVA RHD AC, S UK SVA LHD, AC
• 13 3=Elise,8=Exige, 2 - 2-11
  

There are other bits to the information that i couldn't be bothered adding, but they're the mostly relevant ones.


ordered mine to match roaddad's
edit 2: added more info

[msink]

Thanks Guys!

[...m...]

...do serial numbers reset at each model/year, or do they increment continuously?..

[charliex]

Not sure, as i've seen 07 exige 's with 3000 + serial numbers, it could be worldwide numbers, or all exige's, all elise's. or just one for every car per year.

[...m...]

...this has always puzzled me because mehve's serial number is 3774, and while i know that a great many federal elises were manufactured in 2005, i don't believe it was that many...total cars manufactured each year regardless of model would make sense, though...

[TimMullen]

Originally Posted by charliex

Not sure, as i've seen 07 exige 's with 3000 + serial numbers, it could be worldwide numbers, or all exige's, all elise's. or just one for every car per year.

The serial numbers "reset" each year (the 10th digit indicates the year). The number is worldwide - for example, all the Elises for all the markets for that year.

[charliex]

So it must include more than one models, unless they did sell more than 3000 2007 Exige S 220s worldwide ?

[theob]

I guess the serial number increases independently from the 13-digit model identifier ahead of it!
Hence Lotus has ideally for every model, every year a count of at least 240*9999 cars to serialize!

Obviously that's far too many cars for Lotus to produce, still it's a nice way to allow serial numbers to develop without a problem!

[charliex]

So its a bit more complicated than just restarting from 1 at each year, some of the models start at a preset higher number so without the seed number you can't tell the model count, and multiple models are grouped together.

[sandsmuseum]

I have a VIN decoder associated with the Elise Registry on my website:

Lotus Elise Registry, Decode VIN

It works with 2005-2007 model year cars but gives some errors for those of you with new variants and newer cars.

Michael

(I am still interested in someone else either taking the registry or helping to maintain it. Fixing the VIN Decoder might be part of that activity...)

[Wimbledon]

Does Proton use the same VIN system? Why else include Shah Alam as an assembly location?

[...m...]

...has anyone ever tracked down unambiguous non-speculative production numbers for recent model years?..

[ChrisB]

Originally Posted by Wimbledon

Does Proton use the same VIN system? Why else include Shah Alam as an assembly location?

At one time it was planned to assemble the new Esprit there and, possibly, the Europa.

[AMSElise]

HI all....

I checked my VIN with the chart and all seems well, but when I put it thru the VIN decoder you guys posted on here, it tells me it does not conform to Lotus format.
Any suggestions???
here is my VIN SCCPC11185HL31449

[Aedo]

Originally Posted by Wimbledon

Does Proton use the same VIN system? Why else include Shah Alam as an assembly location?

Some S1 Elises for Asian markets were assembled at Shah Alam.

[RoadDad]

Originally Posted by AMSElise

HI all....

I checked my VIN with the chart and all seems well, but when I put it thru the VIN decoder you guys posted on here, it tells me it does not conform to Lotus format.
Any suggestions???
here is my VIN SCCPC11185HL31449

I suggest you stick with the chart from Lotus .

I think that you typed something wrong. When I cut/paste your VIN from your post above into the "decoder" it worked fine.

[damen]

I was really hoping this would be a way to tell what options are installed. the wife just bought a used exige s and I know it has starshield and touring, but I dont know what else it has/doesnt have...

[chapster5]

You could probably goto a near lotus meeting and let the guys check it out, theyll tell you although you could goto the nearest dealership and ask them to look at it and tell you...