VIN check

The first characters of a VIN show where the manufacturer is registered. That matters for Romania, because where the car was built decides whether import duty is 0% or 10%.

The check runs right in your browser, and the number doesn’t go anywhere.

First VIN character

1, 4, 5, 7F–70USA
2Canada
3Mexico
JJapan
KL–KRSouth Korea
WGermany

A VIN shows the manufacturer, not the exact factory. US-market Audi Q5s, for example, start with W but are built in Mexico. Before bidding we check the door label and the documents.