I've been wondering if my Civic may have been re-VINed or put together from two or more wrecks. For example, it's worn in places a car with its mileage wouldn't make sense to be worn in (for example, the window mechanism is not staying on its track due to wear) and it has some parts that don't match (drum brakes on an EX?). Where can I check it for VINs besides the dash and the door frame, in case there's a chance they replaced sheet metal that had a VIN stamped on it?

 

vins are on the motor, on the firewall, and on the door jam when you open it. Iunno if theres more, but thats the only ones I can remember.

 

What year is your car? The later Civics (96-00 AFAIK) have VIN's on several different body panels.

 

Why? Are you going to steal someone's car?


Modified by sageuvagony at 6:08 AM 8/26/2008

 

you don't say what year the car is, '92 - '95s have the vin on the firewall, riveted to the dash and on a sticker on the door jam. '96 - '00 have the vin in these same locations and also on the engine and/or transmission if memory serves me correctly. A lot of newer vehicles also have the vin on pretty much every major body panel as well. If its an EX coupe they come with rear drums. the only EX i can think of that ever had factory rear discs is the '92 - '95 EX sedan. If things are more worn then you think they should be someone may have rolled back the odometer, its not exactly all that hard to do from what i've been told.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MadScientistMatt &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I've been wondering if my Civic may have been re-VINed or put together from two or more wrecks. For example, it's worn in places a car with its mileage wouldn't make sense to be worn in (for example, the window mechanism is not staying on its track due to wear) and it has some parts that don't match (drum brakes on an EX?). Where can I check it for VINs besides the dash and the door frame, in case there's a chance they replaced sheet metal that had a VIN stamped on it?</TD></TR></TABLE>
VIN is on the:
- Firewall (stamped)
- Driver's side front dash (through the windshield)
- Driver's door jamb
- Engine
- Transmission
- Top of front bumper
- Top of rear bumper
- Trunk
- Various other body parts

Probably others. Btw, some of the lasts ones might only be for the 6th gens.

'96-'00 EXes don't come with rear disc. Only some '92-'95 EXes came with rear disc.

The window track issue is VERY COMMON. My '97 EX coupe had it happen around 70,000 miles.

So far I'm not convinced there is anything that would make me think your car might be pieced together.

 

Take it to the police and have them look it over for you. Sounds kind of fishy to me. If you were worried about a car being built out of 2 cars, you may want to look for, oh, I don't know, maybe a SEAM WHERE THE CAR WAS WELDED maybe...

If your car was built from 2 cars, put it on a lift and look for a seam going across the floor, staggered seams on the rockers, marks on the pillars from filler, etc. Typically, if a Civic is so far gone that it takes 2 cars to make a good one, they don't spend the most time putting it back together.

You have got to be kidding me, where are the VINs? There are only a few people that would ask this question; thieves and someone buying or possessing stolen property. Yes, I know there could be a legit reason for asking that question but I would have thought the question would have been worded much differently if he was concerned about a wreck (how can I tell if my car was in a very bad wreck?) Why would you ask if a car was re VIN numbered? That is illegal. How about you post up some pics of said car along with pics of all the VINs that are on it and we'll see what we can do to help? Seriously.

With all the theft anymore on these cars, you can't ever be too careful. It's obvious that thieves watch this site to find their cars, how to disable anti theft that is commonly put on, etc. There's no reason to post in public where every VIN on a Civic is for them....

 

rear disc brakes are a dealer installed option, some have them some dont, and window tracks suck in eg's trust me. so just cuz its beat up, doesnt mean its been wrecked. lol.

no flame intended

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RyanA &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
You have got to be kidding me, where are the VINs? There are only a few people that would ask this question; thieves and someone buying or possessing stolen property. </TD></TR></TABLE>

This is exactly what I was thinking when I first read this title. Soon enough you're going to find all of this guys parts like this and say "uhh.. I had no idea it was stolen "




Modified by HybridcivicLS-T at 8:19 PM 8/26/2008

 

Thanks everyone, it's a '95 coupe. It was probably the weird issue with the window track, the incorrect rumor that all 5th gen EXs had rear discs, and some suspiciously new carpet that had me wondering if something had happened to it. It's got about 72,000 miles on it, and I've owned cars that were 40 years old with window tracks still in good working order. So I guess it was mostly some issues I hadn't expected to find on a car that's "only" 14 years old (late '94 build date) that had me wondering. Guess Hondas just wear in different places compared to domestics.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 94EG8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you don't say what year the car is, '92 - '95s have the vin on the firewall, riveted to the dash and on a sticker on the door jam. '96 - '00 have the vin in these same locations and also on the engine and/or transmission if memory serves me correctly. A lot of newer vehicles also have the vin on pretty much every major body panel as well. If its an EX coupe they come with rear drums. the only EX i can think of that ever had factory rear discs is the '92 - '95 EX sedan. If things are more worn then you think they should be someone may have rolled back the odometer, its not exactly all that hard to do from what i've been told.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Rear Disc on a EX Coupe was an option i believe. I had a coupe a while was that an older lady owned with rear disc and this lady was the original owner so...IDK...

 

the only 92-95 civic that i know for a fact came with rear disc was the Si hatch. I think for the civic ex to have rear disk it had to be a coupe with abs


Modified by instructor74 at 10:33 AM 8/26/2008

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by instructor74 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">the oly 92-95 civic that i know for a fact came with rear disc was the Si hatch. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Boo, you're wrong.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by instructor74 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">the oly 92-95 civic that i know for a fact came with rear disc was the Si hatch. I think for the civic ex to have rear disk it had to be a coupe with abs </TD></TR></TABLE>

LX sedans had rear discs as an option and EX sedans came standard with it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bakeoff &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Boo, you're wrong. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Prove that the 92-95 Si hatch didn't come with rear disc!

LX sedans had rear discs as an option and EX sedans came standard with it.
thanks 94EG8 wasn't sure on the EX or LX sedans


Modified by instructor74 at 10:41 AM 8/26/2008


Modified by instructor74 at 10:42 AM 8/26/2008

 

Any '92-'00 civics with abs will have rear disc brakes. So if you have no abs you have drums. If you have abs you have discs.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sEa lOS gRill &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Any '92-'00 civics with abs will have rear disc brakes. So if you have no abs you have drums. If you have abs you have discs.</TD></TR></TABLE>]

Not quite, At least some if not all '92 - '95 Si hatches had 4 wheel disc brakes from the factory with no ABS. '99 - '00 Si coupes also don't have ABS, but they have 4 wheel disc brakes. You need 4 wheel disc brakes to have ABS, but you Don't need to have ABS to have 4 wheel discs.

 

My 95 EX has no ABS, but it has four wheel disc brakes.

As I was walking back to my car from class today, I saw two 6th gen EX's, a sedan and a coupe, and neither had rear discs. According to NOFX's chart here, the only 6th gen with rear discs was the 99-00 Si.

 

My wife's 98 EX 4 door has ABS and drum rears. My friend's 98 Civic EX coupe has ABS and drum rears. So saying ABS gets you 4 wheel discs isn't entirely true. I know my 92 and 93 Civic EX 4 doors both had ABS and both had 4 wheel discs....

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RyanA &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My wife's 98 EX 4 door has ABS and drum rears. My friend's 98 Civic EX coupe has ABS and drum rears. So saying ABS gets you 4 wheel discs isn't entirely true. I know my 92 and 93 Civic EX 4 doors both had ABS and both had 4 wheel discs....</TD></TR></TABLE>

I stand corrected.

 

92-95 si hatches
92-95 ex w/ abs

and those who had rear suspension changed over will have rear disk

check your dash, firewall, and driver door for vin -
depending on how car was kept and maintenance, road conditions, wear and tear can effect a lot - clusters are easy to swap. My coupe had the original cluster reading ~107k when I got it but was missing tons and literally just a shell w/ suspension

now has had a b16 and a z6 in it
neuspeed springs koni yellow struts -
also has tenzo r seats as I got the full set front and rear for cheaper than I could have gotten stockers (which I know have in a parts car)

some cars are just abused and mistreated. hence why no pics of my coupe will be up until it has a new windshield and new paint on it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 94EG8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">]Not quite, At least some if not all '92 - '95 Si hatches had 4 wheel disc brakes from the factory with no ABS. '99 - '00 Si coupes also don't have ABS, but they have 4 wheel disc brakes. You need 4 wheel disc brakes to have ABS, but you Don't need to have ABS to have 4 wheel discs.</TD></TR></TABLE>
The US EM1 is actually the only EM1 ('99-'00 Si) in the world that didn't come with ABS.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NOFX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The US EM1 is actually the only EM1 ('99-'00 Si) in the world that didn't come with ABS.</TD></TR></TABLE>

So the Canadian SiR should have ABS then right? I've honestly never checked, i don't even think i know anyone that owns an EM1. For the OP this might be your way to get an EM1 with ABS, just import one from canada, can't be that hard, we import cars from the US into Canada all the time.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 94EG8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So the Canadian SiR should have ABS then right? I've honestly never checked, i don't even think i know anyone that owns an EM1. For the OP this might be your way to get an EM1 with ABS, just import one from canada, can't be that hard, we import cars from the US into Canada all the time.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Forgot about Canada. I guess I should have maybe said "North America" instead of "US".

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NOFX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Forgot about Canada. I guess I should have maybe said "North America" instead of "US".</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ok, that makes more sense, forgot about canada eh? Thats ok, we're used to being ignored