I know this belongs in "Off Topic"....

I was at Metro Ford on Sat. to get a part.
For the heck of it, I brought my bro's VIN number from his '97 Econoline (140K mi) to find out what it might be worth in this Cash-For-Clunkers program.
After waiting for 30min for anyone to help me out, I approached this gentleman at a sales counter (which had 3 guys behind it).
I asked "could you look up what this VIN number would be worth against buying [the same] vehicle?"

He replied "I'll need more information...like what model it is, what engine it has, what transmission?"

My reply "you mean to tell me that a VIN doesn't give you all that info?"

He said "no it doesn't"

So I said "OK"....and walked away, before I really lost my cool and lunged over the counter at him.

Please inform me......was I right, or was he.....

 

it will give the year, make, color and stuff like that. it wont give the model, interior, engine or anything else like that.

 

You were right......check it out

The first three digits make up the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI)

Position one represents the nation of origin, or the final point of assembly. For instance, cars made in the U.S. start with 1,4 or 5, Canada is 2, Mexico is 3, Japan is J, Korea is K, England is S, and Germany is W.


Position two tells you about the manufacturer. For example, A is for Audi, B is for BMW, L is for Lincoln and N is for Nissan.


Position three indicates the vehicle's type or manufacturing division. For example, 1G1 represents Chevrolet passenger cars; 1G2, Pontiac passenger cars; and 1GC, Chevrolet trucks.
Vehicle Descriptor Section

Digits 4 through 9 make up the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS).

Positions four through eight tell you about the car, such as the model, body type, restraint system, transmission type, and engine code.



Position nine, the "check" digit, is used to detect invalid VINs based on a mathematical formula that was developed by the Department of Transportation.
Vehicle Identifier Section

Digits 10 through 17 make up the Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS).

Position 10 indicates the model year. The letters from B-X correspond to the model years starting with 1981, with X bringing up the rear with 2000; model years 2001 and up are indicated with numbers, starting with the number 1. There is no I, O, Q, U or Z. Confusing? Here's a list of the model years: B=81, C=82, D=83, E=84, F=85, G=86, H=87, J=88, K=89, L=90, M=91, N=92, P=93, R=94, S=95, T=96, V=97, W=98, X=99, Y=00, 1=01, 2=02, 3=03, 4=04, 5=05, 6=06, 7=07, 8=08, 9=09, A=2010.


The letter or number in position 11 indicates the manufacturing plant in which the vehicle was assembled. Each automaker has its own set of plant codes.


The last 6 digits (positions 12 through 17) are the production sequence numbers. This is the number given to your car on the assembly line.

 

It's true that the Dealer can get more info than a civilian can using a VIN decoder but, they have no obligation to do so. The VIN doesn't have the tranny info. In this case the point is moot because the E series had no sticks.

Use this site for the VIN:
https://www.fleet.ford.com/maintenan...ls/default.asp

Once you have the specs check here:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/Feg/findacar.htm

Looks to me like all 1997 E-150s qualify whether it's a Club Wagon or a Econoline, the 5.4L gives you a better 'clunker' number, the 4.6L & V6, less so.

And don't getted worked up over the little things in life.

 

maybe he walks around with a brown bag to breathe into

 

So why didnt you put it there?
https://www.f150online.com/forums/ge...discussion-55/

Phil

 

1967 Econoline with a stick, ...

Just out of high school I applied for a painting job. Only reason I got hired was I had a drivers license. Most of the other employees were drunks that had long ago lost their licenses. First morning, three of us get in a 1967 Econoline and to my horror it was 'three on a tree'.

I needed this job bad so without a word, off we went.
The van had a drivers seat and the two drunks were sitting on five gallon buckets.

Had to go through a neighborhood and at 7am on every corner there were kids waiting for the school bus.

The van bucked and rocked violently like a wild bronco leaving every stop sign.
The drunks were getting tossed all over the place.
The kids are laughing and shouting, an experience I'll never forget.
Everyday for a week the kids looked forward to us going by.
Learning to drive a stick was providing them great entertainment.
And imagine being hung over and trying to ride a bucket under these conditions, I wasn't making any friends at work.
Nobody wanted to go to lunch with me.

The paint was 'well mixed' when we got to the job site.

 

With the VIN he could have given you the info but if I were him, I'd have told you the same thing. The first thing you need to understand is that this is a Gov't program and like all Gov't programs it is majorly screwed up. Some of the dealers are complaining that with cars that they have deals on, the website times them out and they have to start over several times to enter the paperwork because Uncle Cheapo Sammy doesn't have near enough bandwidth. It could have taken the guy over an hour to get you the info. FWIW, I've never been able to get past the home page....yeah, it's that slow.

 

Thanks Guys,
I was aggrivated from standing around, after a saleperson said "I'll get somone to help you". I had too much on my plate to waste time.....

Next time I'll post in 'General Discussion'....

Raoul, I can relate to that story!
Same brother had a '66 Econoline, 3-in-the-tree. I was the one rolling around in the back of it....trying to keep what I had for breakfast down.
Passenger seat was off a lawn tractor and not screwed down...
I can't say how many people got thrown in the back.

He would take out dates in it....if he liked a girl, he'd take off slowly, if he didn't she got thrown

 

"The drunks" LOL, I am about to cry