I did a search and really only found one "good" hit for a VIN decoder and it could only tell me it was a Mazda and the model was "Unknown", but I do not think it would have told me what I wanted to know anyway.

Is there anyway to tell by the VIN what trim the car was.... ie. Base, Touring, GT, Shinka, etc.???

 

First, the Sport, Touring, GT, Shinka edition are really all the same car. The only difference is option packages. That type of information is not stored in a VIN - however, the model type is. You can try going here (http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/disp...ersHome.action) and registering it as a vehicle. Mazda may be able to decode the VIN for you and get you more information.

I've also had good luck entering VINs here as well (https://www.fleet.ford.com/maintenan...s/default.asp).

Good luck.

 

Thanks, I did know they were just the "packages", but yet for insurance (and car loans) they want to know "exactly" what trim it is. I did not know if there was a way to tell from the VIN or not. I did register on MazdaUSA... But do you know for sure if it will tell you it is a Shinka, GT, Touring, etc? (just curious, because this VIN did not say any of that).

I do know that it has the appearance package (front air damn, side aero flares, rear aero flares, rear spoiler), but they (private seller) could not tell me if it was a base, touring, or GT.

 

I've never used anything but the VIN for insurance & loan info. Never was asked for more than that. Sounds a little silly - like they're going for the extra buck or 2 out of your pocket.

If those sites don't show trim options, tell your insurance company it's a Sport pkg. The only lower model is base, but that has no DSC/TCS, which will likely cost you more in insurance.

 

you don't need the VIN to tell you what your car is. tell us what it has and we can tell you which trim level you have. the appearance package and spoiler are add-ons so that won't matter. do you have a moonroof, fog lights, DSC/TCS, what material and color is your interior, heated seats, etc.?

 

Haven't picked it up yet (tomorrow I do though) so I will let you know then.

 

seems like something you would have wanted to know before buying since there would be a difference in price but as a guideline:

Base starts with
-Halogen lights
-no fogs

Sport
-Self-leveling Xenon headlights
-Fog lights
-DSC/TCS

Touring
-Sport Package plus
-300-watt Bose audio system
-moonroof
-Auto-dimming mirror with Homelink system

GT
-Touring Package plus
-Leather upholstery
-8-way power driver's seat with lumbar support
-Heated front seats
-Heated mirrors

Shinka
-GT plus
-SIRIUS Satellite Radio System with 1 year subscription
-Urethane foam injected suspension cross members
-Alcantara seats
-6-Disc in-dash CD changer
-"Shinka" B-pillar applique

 

Here is another site for viewing VIN codes: http://www.analogx.com/contents/vinview.htm

Bonus: He is quite a good programmer and if you search his site, he has allot of good utilities for techies.

 

I know it has a moonroof and they mentioned that it has the "premium sound system"

 

I did "take this into consideration" as the price was pretty good even for a base.

Options I know it has:

Moonroof
Leather Seats
Appearance Package
Fog Lights
Heated Seats (dont know if that is just part of the leather package).
Power Seats

That is all I know for sure. The rest I can figure out tomorrow.

 

with leather seats then it has to be a gt

 

If there is no way to decode from the VIN though then they should ask. They are not trying to screw me out of an extra buck or two, they are trying to make sure I am properly covered. If I tell them it is a base and then I wreck the car, and I told them it was a base then they are going to pay me replacement for the base. But if my car was actually a GT and I just wanted to save $2 a month on insurance then I would be out the $2,000 or more that it would take to find another GT over what they paid me for the base.

As for the loan, it does not affect anything there but the amount that they will loan you. If you are buying a GT, they will loan you more because the car is worth more, if you tell them base then they will not give you as much money. That is why the bank asks. (But I am getting the car for less then they value a base at and it appears it should be a GT, so I am good either way).

 

hey, while were at it, mine is an 06 mt gray/silverish exterior black leather/heated seats, has bose sound system (Isuppose that could have been done after market but looks stock and loud af), rear spoiler slide/tilt sunroof, power driver seat, no nav. 6disc cd any guesses at what trim? from the above it looks like Shinka but for some reason I don't think it is a Shinka...

EDIT: didn't realize the thread is 8 years old.... my bad.

 

in the US, leather + bose + moonroof = grand touring.

nav was an option.