[urq] 80 Euro FS in ebay...

[Steve Eiche]

If the VIN number that he listed ended in CA901254, then the car is an

'82 model year car, built in June of '82.  No ifs, ands or buts.   It is 
clearly listed in the factory documentation listed in ETKA.   The ISO 
3779 specification defined 17 digit VINs in the US and the European 
Union.  Here is a quick review.  
http://www.answers.com/topic/vehicle-identification-number

If the car has a decal that says 11/81, that would still be an '82, but 
the VIN numbers have been changed as the factory production numbers do 
not lie.   The only difference between Euro VINs and US VINs is the 
fourt, fifth, sixth and ninth digits which Euro car do not use.   On 
Euro cars, these digits are Zs, on US urquattros, these digits are DC0 
and 9 is a check number. 

The bottom line is the DOT uses the "C" to determine model year for 
compliance, and "C" is '82.  What the guy listing the car on ebay says 
means nothing to me, nor would it to the US DOT. 

This this is starting to smell really fishy...

Steve

Pasqualoni, James E wrote:

>Message from the seller on my VIN query...
>
>Hi, The VIN is a WMI Vin number. World Manufacturer Identification, mainly
>used by Europeans. USA uses SAE (Society Automotive Engineers). Both numbers
>can be used in America, however the SAE clearly shows the production year
>(10th digit), WMI doesn't. Anyway, the car was manufacturer in 1981 in
>Ingoldstadt and written prove will be provided. It was first registered in
>1982, but it is indeed a 1981 production year. The Car has a label on the
>door post, showing Nov. 1981. The problem is, that my Digital camera doesnt
>have a good enough zoom to make a sharp picture. I tried that already. I
>will have to find a regular camera and develop the film. I will, of course,
>do that anyway. But, rest assure, it was manufactured in Nov. 1981. I also
>contacted Ingoldstadt to send a complete code list, man. date, etc. on this
>car in writing (just for the records). Does that answer your question?
>Cheers 
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Pasqualoni, James E 
>Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2006 12:31 PM
>To: 'seiche at shadetreesoftware.com'
>Subject: RE: [urq] 80 Euro FS in ebay...
>
>I hadn't analyzed the VIN-thanks.  Talk about from the "too good to be true
>files"... 
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Steve Eiche [mailto:seiche at shadetreesoftware.com]
>Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2006 1:35 PM
>To: Pasqualoni, James E
>Subject: Re: [urq] 80 Euro FS in ebay...
>
>Wellll, this doesn't quite add up.  First off, it is an '82 production
>model, and a late one at that assuming that the VIN is correct.  My '82 car,
>CA900652 was built in 12/81, CA901254 would have been built well into '82.
>There is no way possible way to call that car an '81.  That would be a
>problem with the 25 year EPA/DOT rules quoted, which I find hard to believe
>that it would be that easy.
>
>My guess is this guy in Switzerland saw that '83 go for $22k (there was a
>lot of talk about that on the German urquattro forum), and wanted to find a
>way to cash in.  My guess is you would get the car here and then the
>nightmare would begin.  
>
>Steve 
>
>http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1981-Audi-ur-QUATTRO-Turbo-2-2-awesome-condit
>ion_W0QQitemZ4626619314QQcategoryZ6055QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
><http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1981-Audi-ur-QUATTRO-Turbo-2-2-awesome-condi
>tion_W0QQitemZ4626619314QQcategoryZ6055QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem> 
>
>
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>  
>