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decoding a malibu vin number


keegan

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is there a way to decode a vin number on a boat like a car? a car vin will tell you manufacture date, color, options, etc.

im looking at a 2006 wakesetter. moving up from the 2002 i love. the boat i am looking at is a long way away. the boat is white and black, but it has red piping on the interior. i am nervous as i dont know that a boat could/ would be ordered like this. also the boat is sitting on a red trailer.

i have a small feeling the boat may have been painted, if so i am not interested in it.

20127000_2X.jpg

20127000_6X.jpg

thanks again for any help on this one crew!

Edited by keegan
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I would just say aftermarket trailer....or just after thought...go see it and you can tell if it has been repainted for sure. Ask for boat records and call Dealer who may service the boat perhaps before you make the trip...FWIW

Good Luck!

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Hey Kegan:

Launch the search function and paste in (malibu serial # deciphering)

This will bring up a great post to help you. I contacted a dealer in Nanimo and the service department searched my number for me and was able to give me certain info that popped up in their system. You can also contact the factory and give them the boat number and they should be able to help you with original color.

Nice looking boat. I also just bought a 2006 23 lsv from auction and it feels like Christmas every time I look at her. Hope to see you on Pitt Lake or river this summer.

robert

I think it is a little odd that the boat decals or graphics are missing. Just a thought.

Edited by Smoke Eater
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I am with you, looks like that boat used to be red and black. Who would buy a red trailer with a black boat? Same about the interior.The red bottomed wakeboard suggests the guy bought it to match the boat.

Have you directly asked the seller if it was damaged and then painted? If you are going to pursue it, call the factory they know the original color.

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Hey Kegan:

Launch the search function and paste in (malibu serial # deciphering)

This will bring up a great post to help you. I contacted a dealer in Nanimo and the service department searched my number for me and was able to give me certain info that popped up in their system. You can also contact the factory and give them the boat number and they should be able to help you with original color.

Nice looking boat. I also just bought a 2006 23 lsv from auction and it feels like Christmas every time I look at her. Hope to see you on Pitt Lake or river this summer.

robert

I think it is a little odd that the boat decals or graphics are missing. Just a thought.

Here's that thread.

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Why would the missing decal have anything to do with it not being original? Some people just dont like huge stickers on their boat and therefore take them off.Its a sticker not gel coat. :)

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No reason the boat couldn't be ordered like that, or it could have been a mistake.

Getting a red accent put on that hull would pull the whole thing together.

-Chris

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I can telll you how to read the VIN on the trailer. I'm sure most of your Malibu's are on Boatmate trailers for instance. The first 5 of the 17 digit VIN is a DOT designated number to the trailer manufacturer. In Boatmate's case it would be 5A7BB..the next 2 digits would be the length of the trailer, then how many axles are under it, a control number followed by the year. After that would be a letter designation that separates the rest of the 6 digit numerical sequence of trailers built. A hypothetical number for instance would be 5A7BB20146T000001 indicating a 20 ft trailer with a single axle, being the 1st trailer of the 2006 year. The new year in 2010 started an alphabetic indicator on the 10th digit for the year with letter A being 2010, B for 2011 etc. This helps you identify 2001 from 2010 etc by alternating the year desgnation from numeric to alphabetic every other year. Hope that helps some.

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