here is the link

info from Joe Spitz (a fellow subaru enthusiast and salesperson) @ cars101.com
i always knew the 1st 3 and the last numbers- but the middle was always a mystery.... until now.


aloha from the summit of *-^-Mauna Kea-^-*

 

heh...never thought all those #s actually had there own meaning. i guess i learned something new today as well.

 

Insteresting...

 

How to figure out your "check digit" is a little interesting:

STEP 1
Assign to each number in the VIN its actual mathematical value and assign to each letter the value specified for it in the following chart:

ASSIGNED VALUES:
A=1 G=7 N=5 V=5
B=2 H=8 P=7 W=6
C=3 J=1 R=9 X=7
D=4 K=2 S=2 Y=8
E=5 L=3 T=3
F=6 M=4 U=4

STEP 2
Multiply the assigned value for each character in the VIN by the position weight factor specified in the following chart:
VIN POSITION AND WEIGHT FACTOR:
1st = 8 10th = 9
2nd = 7 11th = 8
3rd = 6 12th = 7
4th = 5 13th = 6
5th = 4 14th = 5
6th = 3 15th = 4
7th = 2 16th = 3
8th = 10 17th = 2
9th = check digit

STEP 3
Add the products from steps 1 and 2 and divide the total by 11.

STEP 4
The numerical remainder is the check digit which would appear in the 9th position in the VIN. If the remainder is 10, then the letter "X" is used for the check digit.

 

I bought my WRX from Joe Spitz, good guy.

 

ok.. so what does Check Digit mean?

 

It allows authorities to check whether or not the VIN is false. Though you have to assume that most people who falsify VIN numbers must know about the check digit and how it works.

 

thats pretty kewl Greg, I would have never known..