We currently have a deposit on the *exact* (exterior, interior, options) vehicle we are looking for. It wasn't a factory order, it just so happens to be allocated the way we want. Current expected delivery to dealer is 8/2-8/14.

It has a VIN number, but if you use it in any decoder, it complains because the 14th "digit" is actually a letter. After poking around on various dealer websites, it seems like other vehicles allocated and expected around the same date have that letter instead of a number.

Is that a common thing?

Mostly asking in case I should be looking elsewhere, if its possible this allocation won't be built (dealer showed me the current status as "final vehicle order sent to plant"). Since its a V6 and a 2025, when do they stop actually producing them?

Thanks.

-Chris

 

Yes, that is common.

Model year production varies widely. Years ago, there was sort of a general rule, at least among American manufacturers, that production ran from August 1 to July 31. My '23 Ridgeline was built in October 2023. Yet some 2024 models by other companies were built as early as April or May 2023.

The best thing to do here is just stay in touch with your dealer.

 

Thanks, I will definitely do that!

Part of the reason I thought we were good was because it had a VIN, but when I noticed the letter in place of a digit, it makes me wonder if these are "real" VINs like ones that the NHTSA would know about, or if they are somehow just internal for Toyota/Lexus use, until the car is actually built. That just led to a rabbit hole of curiosity at this point.

There is one scheduled to show up at a local dealer at basically the end of August...I figured that was really cutting it close, but maybe not (considering this is the last of the "platform", including the last of the V6, etc)

 

I was bored today (that happens a lot) and did some more poking around and have another question if anyone knows - the last 3 digits of even the bogus VINs seem to be part of the serial.

When they go from bogus to real VINs (i.e. after the car is built), do those 3 digits carry over?

Curious if that is an indication of where they are in the build "count"...based on the in-transit estimates from Lexus's website, the timings fit. They are currently shipping out car "550" or so.

 

Vehicles are not necessarily built in VIN sequence.