What's a Hilux!
My 2000 Toyota has the VIN at the bottom of every side window. 4 of them. But the newer Toyota doesn't have that, though it does say Toyota in dim letters at the bottom of every side window. .
I counted 8 places on my car and there may be more.
I do take minor issue with the term "must have matching VIN" If you know the car was in an accident and the door was replaced from a junk yard, the VIN on the door would be removed or not matched. It can still be a good deal on the car.
The important VIN locations are the plate and the one or two stamped locations. They must all match otherwise the car may have been illegally resurrected. All the others are subject to being replaced during a repair. I'm not in any way disputing your point.
On a separate chassis vehicle there will be a chassis number, a body number, and 2 tags. One tag will be on the dash/windscreen, and one on the doorpost. The body number is generally stamped somewhere on the firewall or one of the inner fender rails or shock towers.. The chassis number will be stamped on the chassis.A version of the vin (not necessarily the complete number) will also be on the engine block. The tags will be rivetted to the body. In all but some of the oldest cars, if they are screwed on it means they have been removed and may not be legitimate.
I have seen the VINs cut out of one car and welded into another - usually when "restoring" a rare car using a donor body or parts from a donor. It is often also done to "re-vin" a stolen car with the VIN of a wreck.
The glass etching was an "option" provided by several security companies to make the vehicle less attrative to "chop shops" and car thieves. Some dealers had every car they sold "etched"
Correct - but if any one VIN does not match, you KNOW something out of the ordinary has occurred - and if it is listed as "no accidents" you can be pretty sure SOMEONE is lying.
I'd contact Micky and have him check it out.
It sounds like you really want that car. The next time you find a car you want, don't bother checking out the history.
Ed Pawlowski posted for all of us...
Chuckle
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