Missing VIN plate.

[scottm10]

Hi,
I am very keen to become an owner of a Surf, I have now looked at 2 Surf's and both have had the VIN plate missing from the bulkhead, does anyone know if the VIN plated would be removed in Japan or should I just walk away from any Surf's without the VIN plate on the bulkhead, please can you advise, many thanks, scott.

[Webbo]

Mine is also missing, my Mate who has Mot'd it since I have owned it said he has never noticed it before and it should really be there.

[shokenore]

Hi
The VIN is there regardless of origin/import grey or otherwise.
IMHO I would not be dropping 1k+ on any vehicle that I could not verify the identity of, there may of course be a legitimate reason.......

Happy hunting

[markjd]

You need a vin plate.
From what I've seen the rivets just rot away mine is currently sat in my arm rest storage till I get round to re riveting.

[wishbone]

The chassis number is stamped on the chassis behind the front DS wheel if that helps at all.

[charvell]

The chassis number is also on the chassis by the drivers side wheel I think it's that side

[charvell]

Dam wish bone gut there first

[budweiser]

http://www.vin-plate.co.uk/any_car_van_plate.html

[HONEST AL]

Vin Plate(or lack of)

Before anyone mention's it,this is only my point of view,it may be wrong but the wife tells me I can have an opinion now and again.....Having a poke around the engine bay ages ago I noticed the vin plate had "gone".The tiny rivet's that hold it on had rotted away the lord only know's when.Those rivets seem to rot very easily.The man at my local mot station said that as he knew my vehicle it would not be a problem when it came to mot time,as one or two have pointed out the vin number is stamped on the o/s chassis leg at the time of manufacture.
I went to the aid of a mate at 4.00a.m. one day over Christmas,3 inches of snow on the ground ,freezing wind and I get pulled up by the fuzz, I will pause here for the ususl jokes to surface,I should have told him the joke about the rectum stretcher.I am in the car nice and warm and the woodentop is outside trying his best to find fault, so when he had finished(no faults found) and I was allowed to go on my way I thought I would ask him about vin plates.I must have kept him there for about 25 mins, it was taters outside.Anyway he said,and I quote" if there is no visible vin plate the vehicle would have to (if required) be checked over at a local VOSA station to ascertain its pedigree,it would only be a problem if a prospective new owner queried the fact of a missing vin plate,a replacement vin plate is not the one supplied with the vehicle from new and therefore could not be relied upon to be true and accurate.Even if you did replace it only you can prove it's accurate and a true copy,either by the log book or the chassis leg,and none of the ones you can purchase "after market" are an exact copy of the Toyota original"


Personally I would only replace the missing plate if I wanted to enter a vehicle in a concours d'elegance at some form of motor show,but as you cant get on original from Toyota it hardly seems worth the trouble.If you have not nicked the car you can prove its genuine either with the log book or the vin number stamped on the chassis.
So as far as I can see,if your vehicle is not stolen then a missing vin plate is not a problem?????Or can Toyota supply a genuine replacement vin plate

answers on the back of a £5 note please

p.s. if you have not heard the rectum stretcher joke let me know,its quite good

[Rob5464]

I found my vin plate under my battery tray. No idea how it got there