VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) number data is a treasure trove of information about a vehicle–everything from engine type to trim level. However, most dealerships and automotive businesses struggle with decoding VIN numbers for several reasons.
From the complexity of the VINs themselves, to outdated systems that don’t include VIN decoding tools or APIs, many dealerships have been forced to manually research vehicle details, a process that’s both time-consuming and prone to mistakes.
Beyond a lack of technology integration, many of the VIN decoders on the market only work as well as the data they’re given. If a dealership uses a poor quality database or entries are incomplete, the decoded data may be very piecemeal as well.
That’s where MarketCheck’s VIN decoder can help. Here’s how to decode VIN numbers using MarketCheck vehicle data.
Register for a MarketCheck Account.
First, you’ll need to visit MarketCheck and sign up for an account. You’ll then need to choose a subscription plan that fits with your particular needs. Access to the VIN Decoder API requires a paid plan.
Get Your API Key
An API key acts like a “bridge” between the data and your existing systems. Go to the API section of the MarketCheck website to generate your unique key. This key is like your own unique fingerprint that authenticates your requests to the system when you retrieve data.
You’ll then integrate the VIN Decoder API into your existing system. MarketCheck offers detailed, informative API documentation that walks you through the process as well as available endpoints to make integration easier.
Submit a VIN for Decoding
By default, you have two options. You can use the Basic VIN Decoder API to submit a 17-character VIN and get details on the vehicle including the year, make, model, trim, and installed equipment.
If you need more details, use the Enhanced VIN Decoder API, which returns additional vehicle specifications such as the engine type, transmission and specific vehicle features.
(Optional) Access Enhanced Vehicle Data with NeoVIN
NeoVIN, a MarketCheck service, offers even more advanced data including VIN-level build specifications, installed options and features on any vehicle made after 1997.
Handle the API Responses
Once you’ve submitted the request, you’ll need to process the JSON responses from the API to extract and use the vehicle data as needed. The process itself takes just minutes and is a simple, straightforward way to get invaluable data about any vehicle make or model that can be used for everything from inventory management to marketing campaigns.
Be sure to always keep your API key secure and to check your usage from time to time to make sure you’re staying within the limits of your subscription plan.
How to Use VIN Information
Once you’ve retrieved the VIN information, how can you use it? There are a variety of ways to take advantage of VIN-level data, no matter how detailed it needs to be. First and foremost, every VIN is unique, like a vehicle’s fingerprint. Dealerships and automotive businesses get precise, accurate and real-time information about a variety of vehicle details, including:
- Make and model
- Year
- Engine type
- Transmission
- Fuel efficiency
- Installed options and more
Improve Inventory Listings
By using VIN data, you can generate accurate, detailed descriptions for online listings, helping to reduce inquiries on whether a certain model has this or that feature. Displaying all of the details of the vehicle also helps boost buyer confidence and improves the overall vehicle shopping experience.
Create Competitive Pricing Strategies
VIN details can help dealers and automotive companies understand the market value of a vehicle based on its exact features, while comparing it with similar listings in the area.
Match Customers with Vehicles
Helping match buyers with the ideal vehicle that fits their needs greatly improves dealership and brand loyalty. Customers can also browse online and filter vehicle choices on their own by narrowing down and showing only cars that match, for example, a specific engine type or fuel efficiency level.
Service and Repairs
Identify parts and service requirements for vehicles by using VIN data to match OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) details.
Vehicle History Reports
VIN-level data can be used to pull vehicle history reports, including maintenance logs and accident reports, giving buyers full transparency about their vehicle.
All of these features and benefits add up. Dealerships and automotive businesses alike benefit from improved transparency, a faster overall sales process, impressive cost savings and a distinctive edge in a highly competitive marketplace.
Getting Started with VIN Data from MarketCheck
As the leader in detailed automotive market data for dealerships, businesses and service providers, no one is better equipped than MarketCheck to deliver the most informative, detailed VIN data available. Our comprehensive data goes far beyond what’s available with a simple Google or Bing search.
Our APIs are highly flexible and we’ve continually been impressed by the variety of ways that dealerships and other automotive professionals have integrated MarketCheck data into their own systems and apps to deliver an impressive vehicle shopping and buying experience for their customers.
Interested in learning more about decoding VIN numbers or looking to get started? Follow the steps from our VIN decoding guide above or reach out to our data experts. We can work with you to generate specific reports that meet your needs, whether you need access daily, monthly, or a one-off report.
We also provide detailed data that goes beyond VIN numbers, including:pulling data from over 100,000 websites across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Our versatile data feeds are available in a variety of formats to accommodate your specific needs and requests.
With nearly 300 billion total data points, 3.5 total vehicle listing and an average API response time of 100 milliseconds or less, there’s no better way to get the actionable, insightful vehicle data you need to drive sales and improve service. Schedule a demo with us today to learn more.
