Possible to get options from VIN?

moroza

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2016
Location
PDX
TDI
B4 Passat sedan
Is there a way to determine what options (upholstery material and color, in particular) a VW came with, just from the VIN? WVWEE83A5TB148177
 

Windex

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 1, 2006
Location
Cambridge
TDI
05 B5V 01E FRF
Only thing I can get is that it's a 1996 Passat VR6:

VIN Lookup Results
Make Volkswagen
Model Year 1996
Model Passat
Engine Series V-6 2.8L
Engine Capacity V6, 2.8L, DOHC
Fuel Type Gasoline
Vehicle Type Passenger Car
Country Germany

As it's now over 20 years old, hope that someone has some legacy VW VIN information lying around. :D

EDIT - this site give a bit more info, but not down to the colour of the seats... http://en.vindecoder.pl/WVWEE83A5TB148177
 
Last edited:

moroza

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2016
Location
PDX
TDI
B4 Passat sedan
That just gives generic model info. "Transmission: Automatic or Manual"

I've seen people decode BMW VINs of the period and get every last option it came with from the factory, including paint code and interior color. Surely the VAG empire is just as fastidious about their bookkeeping?
 

CTD_Chevrolet

Veteran Member
Joined
May 31, 2011
Location
Montucky
TDI
'15 Jetta S DSG, '02 Jetta ALH 5spd
You could go to your local friendly VW dealership and ask. The options aren't encoded into the VIN, but they might be able to type it into the computer and get all the info you're looking for.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
The dealer won't have access to anything that detailed on a car that old.

Your best bet is an online VIN decoder, and even that will not tell you everything.
 

moroza

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2016
Location
PDX
TDI
B4 Passat sedan
I called my local dealer and they were able to tell me that it had a cloth interior, and some trim codes - VF and DAC - that they were unable to decipher (nor could I find anything online). I think they also said it was a black interior but I don't quite recall that part.
 

edge130

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2009
Location
northern NJ
TDI
Wife's 2009 Jetta TDI sedan (2009 - 2017)
I don't know if they did this that long ago, but I found the engine /transmission build white sticker label located by the spare tire area in the trunk.
It also listed the build option codes for a lot of items
This was on the 2009 Jetta TDi
 

moroza

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2016
Location
PDX
TDI
B4 Passat sedan
Would "part leather" be consistent with leather doorpanels, shift boot, and steering wheel, but cloth seats?

Is your source readily sharable? :hopeful
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
I cannot say I have ever seen a B4 GLX that was NOT leather. Come to think of it, I cannot recall ever seeing an A3 GLX that was not leather either.

The question is, is the car indeed a GLX, as I cannot for the life of me remember if all VR6 B4s were GLX or if they had a GLS with a VR6 option.

At any rate, the leather in those cars was awful durability wise. The bolsters were nicer though.

Volkswagen did not have many choices in cars for this market back then.
 
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