Automotive Glossary
- VIN
- Vehicle Identification Number — a 17-character code uniquely identifying a specific vehicle.
- WMI
- World Manufacturer Identifier — the first three characters of a VIN, identifying the manufacturer and country of origin.
- Check digit
- The 9th character of a VIN, mathematically derived from the rest of the VIN under ISO 3779, used to catch typos.
- Title brand
- A label a jurisdiction attaches to a vehicle's title indicating a status like salvage, rebuilt, or flood damage.
- Salvage title
- A title brand indicating an insurer declared the vehicle a total loss.
- Rebuilt title
- A title brand indicating a previously salvage-branded vehicle passed inspection to be legally driven again.
- Lien
- A legal claim against a vehicle, usually by a lender, that must be resolved before a clear title can transfer.
- Odometer rollback
- Illegally setting a vehicle's odometer back to show lower mileage than it has actually traveled.
- NMVTIS
- The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System — a US database title-issuing agencies report into, used by some licensed history providers.
- Trade-in value
- An estimate of what a dealer might offer for a vehicle traded toward another purchase, typically lower than retail value.