VIN Decoded and production numbers

[gpsman]

So after poking around with about 40 or 50 cars in dealer stock right now I have determined three things.
1) how to decode the VIN
2) that VINs are issued in sequence of build date (with a couple exceptions)
3) about 600 VINs are being issued per week

1) How to decode the VIN (always 17 characters long)

1G1 F X 6 S 0 8 H 4 123456

1G1 = American General Motors
F = Model (Bolt EV)
X = Trim (X = Premiere W = LT)
6 = 4 Door Hatchback
S = Restraint Type (Presumably Seat belt)
0 = Engine Type (none)
8 = check sum (add all the alpha numeric characters and divide by 11 - this number is the remainder X = 10)
H = Year (2017)
4 = Factory ID
123456 = Sequential Serial Number

2) VINs are being issued in order of production date. However, it appears Chevy did not start with 000001. It appears they started AROUND 125000 for public production vehicles, and I have seen a demo car from September with a VIN of 118994.

3) Based on available inventory, so far, in round numbers ABOUT 600 VINs are showing up on dealer online ads per week. Interpolation of 2400-2500 cars per month, which sounds reasonable to make 25,000 to 35,000 cars this first year which is consistent with early estimates.

So,...... this all started because I wanted to know how "early" of an adopter I was. What is my Bolt's number?
I ordered on the first day orders were open. (October).
I will get my Bolt (now in Transit) Mid-February.

If anyone with technical connections with Chevrolet can find out what was the FIRST Bolt VIN, (of normal production would be most helpful) we can all see where we sit in the line.

EDIT: This is not so helpful since now I think Sonics built on the same assembly line use some of the same sequence of numbers.

 

[drdiesel1]

I also ordered my Bolt the day they opened the order window. Mine came in on Jan 3 to my dealer.
It was at the rail yard in Milpitas CA on Dec. 28th I had to wait due to the backlogged transit trucking company.

My car is in the 130000 production range. I have my build info at work and can update the actual production date then.
IIRC, it was built on Nov. 16th.

 

[roundpeg]

Nice info, thanks!

I also ordered in October, assembled last week of November, and delivered on 12/30. I have a VIN in the 130xxx range. I just assumed not knowing any better that they started with 130000, since that kind of adds up. Another unknown factor is whether the Bolt VINs are in sequence or whether the other cars they are assembling on the same line are weaved in between. You decoder implies the former.

 

[Nagorak]

Nevermind.

 

[devbolt]

A co-worker's Bolt which was produced the week of November 14th has a VIN that is 1295xx. Mine which was produced a week later, has a VIN that is 1302xx. I saw Bolt's listed on my Dealer's website that started with 128xxx.

Something to keep in mind is that the sequential serial number is used for all cars produced at that plant, which includes the Sonic. In theory, a Sonic could have a sequential number of 129000, and a Bolt that followed it would be 129001. However, Bolt's seem to be in the 128xxx -136xxx range right now, but I've seen some Sonics listed with a 136xxx serial number, but most seem to be in the lower 101xxx or 145xxx range, so it's hard to make rhyme or reason of things.

 

[gpsman]

A co-worker's Bolt which was produced the week of November 14th has a VIN that is 1295xx. Mine which was produced a week later, has a VIN that is 1302xx. I saw Bolt's listed on my Dealer's website that started with 128xxx.

Something to keep in mind is that the sequential serial number is used for all cars produced at that plant, which includes the Sonic. In theory, a Sonic could have a sequential number of 129000, and a Bolt that followed it would be 129001. However, Bolt's seem to be in the 128xxx -136xxx range right now, but I've seen some Sonics listed with a 136xxx serial number, but most seem to be in the lower 101xxx or 145xxx range, so it's hard to make rhyme or reason of things.

That's kind of what I was thinking too. Hard to know without knowing someone who works there.
Bolts shipping now are over 142xxx.
The VINs are going up by 600 per week. I've seen several consecutive VINs going to Bolts. But even 20 in a row doesn't prove anything if every 21st is a Sonic. Wouldn't there be more Sonics with a few Bolts sprinkled in?

Does it make sense to have had 14,000 Bolts produced by now? Or is that way too high by double or something?
Note I said produced, not registered and on the road.

 

[gpsman]

Noticed something else interesting.
Assuming dealer stock numbers go up in sequence,...

I've noticed more RECENT dealer stock has OLDER (lower) VIN numbers.

Especially right around the end of December / start of January.

It's like as if Detroit made a stock pile of cars, parked the oldest (earliest) cars into a corner, and are only now delivering those.... because they were at the back of the stack... up against a fence or wall. Or maybe train load #1 broke down and train #2 passed it up en route.

Just speculation here.
So your order / purchase date had little to do with how low of a VIN you got.

On the same dealer lot there are VINs of 127,xxx and 140,xxx. And they arrived (or were put into dealer stock) on nearly the same day (almost consecutive stock numbers).

Pretty darn sure the VINs are produced in sequence. But I now I THINK Sonics and Bolts on the same assembly line share sequential numbering. At this point I have strong circumstantial evidence but not proof.

A Sonic ending in 136318 was produced on 12/22.
A Bolt ending in 136600 was produced on 12/22.
A Bolt ending in 136318 does not exist.

A Bolt ending in 137651 was produced 01/09.
A Sonic ending in 138011 was produced 01/09.
A Bolt ending in 138151 was produced 01/10.
A Bolt ending in 138011 does not exist.

Thus my production estimates WERE WAY OFF.

Sonics plus Bolts = 600 cars per day. Sad Bolt numbers are low.

 

[adamsocb]

GM has been known to capture many of the earliest cars in a production run for a QA/QC review. My VIN is 128xxx. According to the invoice the build date was 11/16/16, but it wasn't invoiced until 01/06/17. The window sticker is also mostly blank and states it is a "shipping label" and that "vehicle pricing was not available at time of shipment"

I suspect my car was one of the earliest produced, but did not make it to a dealer until about January 10.

 

[drdiesel1]

^^^^^^^ My car was derailed for 5 days in Ohio for product inspection according to GM's dealer business center.

 

[Posatronic]

You realize these cars that were sold December and January were all made November and December?? They sit it a parking lot for a bit while the do product testing. They want to make sure they didn't have any part of the car that didn't meet their specs. This is most common for a new model car, not a new year car but a first generation car. Many car dealers know this to be true. In some cases they might have 3-5k cars sitting is parking lots.

 

[roundpeg]

You realize these cars that were sold December and January were all made November and December?? They sit it a parking lot for a bit while the do product testing. They want to make sure they didn't have any part of the car that didn't meet their specs. This is most common for a new model car, not a new year car but a first generation car. Many car dealers know this to be true. In some cases they might have 3-5k cars sitting is parking lots.

In the weeks after mine was built at the end of November all I could get from GM was it was bayed, possibly for QC. I don't get how they do QC on a car sitting in a parking lot. Mine had eight miles on the clock when it was delivered, which suggests it was on a dynamometer for a few minutes, at most. In reality the majority of these cars are probably waiting on whatever number they need start loading them on freight cars.

 

[Posatronic]

From my understanding from people in the business is that if they find a problem after making 1000 -1500 of them they have the cars there to fix.

 

[EldRick]

Just got a VIN, and I'm told the car was produced this week. I ordered Jan. 3 for a Black Premiere with DCFC, Infotainment, but no Driver's Assist.

Serial number is 1G1FX6S00H4145xxx

 

[mbepic]

It's too bad that GM is using the same sequence of numbers (last 5 digits) for both the Sonic and the Bolt; it sort makes this whole exercise fruitless in my opinion. I heard that they make 4-5 Sonics and then sprinkle in a Bolt or two and then back again to Sonics.

In this case, a serial number is a number that is pretty meaningless other than on a owners registration.

 

[Dreaderus]

Just fun for us nerds though