Free 1988 Buick Reatta VIN Decoder

How to decode a 1988 Buick Reatta VIN

Characters 1-3 of a 1988 Buick Reatta VIN

A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is a unique sequence used worldwide to identify a vehicle’s manufacturer, providing insight into where and by whom a vehicle was manufactured. Specifically, for the 1988 Buick Reatta, the WMI is “1G4”, indicating that it was produced by General Motors LLC in the United States. This sequence forms the first part of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which is crucial for vehicle identification and tracking. The WMI not only denotes the vehicle’s manufacturer but also provides information on the vehicle type and production location, such as Warren, Michigan for this particular model. Understanding the WMI is essential for various automotive processes, including registration, repair, and recall services.

List of WMI Codes for a 1988 Buick Reatta

WMI: 1G4

• Model Years Covered: 1988-1991
• Example VIN: 1G4EC11C0JB903133
• Manufacturer Name: General Motors LLC
• Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
• City: Warren
• State or Province: Michigan
• Country: United States

Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a 1988 Buick Reatta 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 1988 Buick Reatta:

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 1988 Buick Reatta 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 1988 Buick Reatta VIN — Year Code

11th Character in the 1988 Buick Reatta VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known 1988 Buick Reatta Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 1988 Buick Reatta

The final 6 characters in a 1988 Buick Reatta’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.

Check your Buick Reatta’s VIN below:

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What info can a 1988 Buick Reatta VIN reveal?

• Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicle’s model year, suggesting that the Reatta model may be from the year 1988, providing insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle.
• Body Class and Doors: Information decoded from the VIN might indicate that the vehicle falls into the body class of Coupe, with specifics on the number of doors, possibly being 2.
• Engine Specifics: Engine details, including a 3.8 L displacement, V-Shaped configuration, and a 6-cylinder engine manufactured by BOCF, can typically be derived from the VIN.
• Fuel System and Type: The VIN can provide information about the fuel delivery system, such as Multipoint Fuel Injection (MPFI), along with the primary fuel type, which in this instance is Gasoline.
• Manufacturing Details: Production specifics, including the plant city Baltimore, plant country United States, and the name of the manufacturing company, Baltimore Assembly, are often encoded within the VIN.
• Safety Features: Information decoded from the VIN might include details about the type of seat belts used, which could be Manual, offering insight into the safety features of the vehicle.
• Vehicle Identification: Basic vehicle identification, including a unique vehicle descriptor, can be derived from a sample VIN like 1G4EC11C0JB903133. This helps in identifying specific Reatta variants.

Sample VIN Decode Report for a 1988 Buick Reatta

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