Free 2018 BMW M3 VIN Decoder

How to decode a 2018 BMW M3 VIN

Characters 1-3 of a 2018 BMW M3 VIN

A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is a unique code used to identify the manufacturer of a vehicle and provides specific information about where and by whom a vehicle was made. For instance, vehicles produced by BMW M GmbH in Munich, Germany, including models like the 2018 BMW M3, are assigned a WMI that begins with the letters “WBS”. This code not only pinpoints the country of manufacture but also identifies the company as the manufacturing entity. The information encoded within the WMI is crucial for accurately tracking, registering, and recalling vehicles. The WMI serves as a global standard for vehicle identification, ensuring clarity and consistency in the automotive industry worldwide.

List of WMI Codes for a 2018 BMW M3

WMI: WBS

• Model Years Covered: 1988, 1995-1999, 2002-2006, 2008-2013, 2015-2018, 2021-2024
• Example VIN: WBS8M9C50J5J77907
• Manufacturer Name: BMW M GmbH
• Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
• City: Munich
• State or Province:
• Country: Germany

Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a 2018 BMW M3 VIN

These characters correspond to components like:

• Engine type
• Transmission
• Model or trim
• Body style
• Gross vehicle weight range

Below find the known vehicle descriptor codes for a 2018 BMW M3:

Auto manufacturers have some discretion to decide how they want to code this section, but its contents and decoded results are generally consistent.

Character 9 is the “check digit” in a 2018 BMW M3 VIN.

Based on a formula developed by the US Department of Transportation, it helps reduce fraud by ensuring the validity of the VIN.

10th Character in the 2018 BMW M3 VIN — Year Code

11th Character in the 2018 BMW M3 VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known 2018 BMW M3 Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 2018 BMW M3

The final 6 characters in a 2018 BMW M3’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.

Check your BMW M3’s VIN below:

What info can a 2018 BMW M3 VIN reveal?

• Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicles model year being the year 2018, providing insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle.
• Make and Model: The VIN may also indicate the make, as exemplified by the M3 model of the 3-Series, offering information about the vehicle’s manufacturer and specific model within the series.
• Engine Specifications: Details like the engine’s displacement, which can be around 3 Liters or 2979.168 CC, and power output, such as 425 hp, are typically encoded within the VIN, offering insights into the vehicle’s performance capabilities.
• Safety Features: The VIN may reveal standard and optional safety technologies equipped on the vehicle, including Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Automatic Crash Notification, and options for Adaptive Driving Beam (ADB) and Blind Spot Warning (BSW), providing insights into the vehicle’s safety features.
• Body Class and Dimensions: It can show the vehicle’s body class, for example, Sedan/Saloon, and may include information on dimensions such as wheelbase, indicated here as starting from 110.7 inches, offering detailed insights into the vehicle’s design and structure.
• Fuel Type: The primary fuel type the vehicle uses, such as Gasoline, can be identified through the VIN, providing information about the vehicle’s fuel requirements.
• Manufacturing Information: This includes details about the location of manufacture, including the plant city, Regensburg, and the plant country, Germany, which are often part of the VIN details, offering insights into the vehicle’s production origin.
• Vehicle Performance: Sometimes, performance metrics like the top speed, here seen as 174 MPH, can also be part of the information decoded from a VIN, providing insights into the vehicle’s potential performance capabilities.

Sample VIN Decode Report for a 2018 BMW M3