Free 1988 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight (98) VIN Decoder

How to decode a 1988 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight (98) VIN

Characters 1-3 of a 1988 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight (98) VIN

A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is a vital part of a vehicle’s identification number (VIN), marking the initial characters of the VIN and designating the manufacturer, vehicle type, and country of production. For the 1988 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight, the WMI is “1G3”, indicating it was manufactured by General Motors LLC, specifically under its Oldsmobile division, and further identifies it as a passenger car made in the United States. The significance of the WMI lies in its role in providing essential information about the vehicle at a glance, including its origin and manufacturer, which is particularly useful for registration, insurance, and recall purposes. With its production centered in Warren, Michigan, the WMI for this model not only denotes its American heritage but also a specific era of manufacturing from 1981 to 1996, reflecting a unique segment of automotive history. This standardization of vehicle identification helps in the global tracking and recognition of vehicles, demonstrating the universal utility of the WMI system.

List of WMI Codes for a 1988 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight (98)

WMI: 1G3

• Model Years Covered: 1981-1996
• Example VIN: 1G3CX51C1J1318560
• 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 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight (98) 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 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight (98):

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 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight (98) 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 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight (98) VIN — Year Code

11th Character in the 1988 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight (98) VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known 1988 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight (98) Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 1988 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight (98)

The final 6 characters in a 1988 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight (98)’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.

Check your Oldsmobile Ninety Eight (98)’s VIN below:

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What info can a 1988 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight (98) VIN reveal?

• Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicle’s model year, possibly indicating the year 1988, providing insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle.
• Vehicle Type and Body Class: The report may reveal the vehicle type as a Passenger Car and the body class as a Sedan/Saloon, offering detailed insights into the vehicle’s design and structure.
• Engine Specifications: Details such as the engine configuration possibly being V-Shaped, the displacement measurements (potentially 3.8 liters or 231.89 cubic inches), and the engine manufacturer could be specified, offering valuable insights into the vehicle’s performance.
• Fuel Type and Efficiency Technologies: It may include the primary fuel type, such as Gasoline, and the fuel delivery system, like Multipoint Fuel Injection (MPFI), providing potential information about the vehicle’s fuel efficiency and technology.
• Safety Features: From the VIN, one might learn about the safety features available, such as the type of seat belts employed - in this case, potentially Manual, offering insights into the vehicle’s safety specifications.
• Manufacturing Details: The VIN can provide insights into the vehicle’s manufacturing location, including the plant city (potentially Wentzville), state (possibly Missouri), country (presumably United States), and the name of the manufacturing company (likely Wentzville Assembly), offering valuable information about the vehicle’s production.
• Model and Trim: Specific model information, including trim level, such as the Ninety Eight (98) Regency, may be derived from the VIN details, providing insights into the specific features and characteristics of the vehicle model.

Sample VIN Decode Report for a 1988 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight (98)

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