Hi all,

First post in this forum. I would very much appreciate your help decoding a VIN number.

The car is a Jaguar Daimler 4.0 V8 Super (LWB) from 1998. The first 13 "digits" of the VIN number is: SAJDKANF4CR83****

The car was sold on the European market.

I have tried decoding the number using tables found online (e.g. the one below), but I can't seem to get it right. Especially prefix 10 is bothering me. Can anyone help me?

Thank you in advance!

 

What happens if you use this site?

https://www.vehiclehistory.com/vin-decoder/jaguar

 

 

 

Cause US cars have a different VIN number set up, I guess to fulfill US regulations.

 

Didn't know that, but I guess that would explain things.

So what is the best way for Jagenthusiast to research his European Vin #?


.

 

Maybe the forums version will work? https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/vindecoder.php

I've had my VIN info conflict with those decoder tables before but ran in the linked decoder just fin (US car).

 

There are 2 other VIN identification systems from Jaguar for our X308 out there on the net, just search for them.

I decoded all the Daimler's of a friend (several from Japan, some from the EU), and it was indeed a mess.
But by working your way through them, you will find out which is correct for each car & year, and which is not (as experienced by the OP).

 

I have a 1999 Daimler Super V8 (UK spec). I couldn't find the meaning of the 10th prefix "C" either (it means model year 1982 in some Jaguar VIN tables, makes no sense). Otherwise, your VIN is fine; here's comparison with my VIN:

1999 SAJDKAMF3CR 87****
1998 SAJDKANF4CR 83****

 

Just found this info on a German website:

The 10th prefix shows the model variant:


A - XJ 40, XJS and XK8
B - XJ Series 2, XJS HE, X300
C - XJ Series 3, XJS and SC X308
O - XJS Convertible
E - XJS from 1991

 

Thank you all. Your replies have been most helpful.

@M. Stojanovic: what does "SC" stand for in "SC X308"?

 

Welcome to the forum Jagenthusiast,

I compiled that table directly from Jaguar's published data in JEPC. However, it's not unknown for them to make mistakes!

Your VIN indicates a Daimler Double Six Vanden Plas LWB with 4.0 litre S/C engine. The only anomoly is the Year Letter which is expected to be W for 1998 and not C.

The vehicle you have was the the top of the range and produced in very limited numbers. It cost considerably more than all other X308 variants when new and attracts a premium now because of its rarity. It would not surprise me if Jaguar deliberately included a slight difference in the VIN to validate genuine examples.

I had a Daimler Double Six VdP when the specification was first introduced on the Series One in the early 1970's. A magnificent car - wish I'd kept it.

Please follow this link New Member Area - Intro a MUST - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum to the New Member Area - Intro a MUST forum and post some information about yourself and your vehicle for all members to see. In return you'll get a proper welcome and some useful advice about posting to the forum.

Graham

 

Thank you, Graham. I will read the material as per your instruction.

Interesting that the VIN tells you that the car is a Daimler Double Six Vanden Plas LWB with 4.0 litre S/C engine.

It is definitely not a Vanden Plas (no labels with that name), but it is a Daimler (the Daimler insciption can be found several places). It is a Super V8, i.e. supercharged, and has a 4.0 litre engine.



If I use M. Stohanovic's info from the German website, the car is listed (10th digit in the VIN is a C) as a SC X308. What does SC X308 mean? ​​​

If the 10th prefix has to do with the car type the question of which prefix that represents year arises. Any suggestions?

 

SC means the same as S/C - supercharged. With regard to "Daimler Super V8" and "VDP Supercharged", they are identical. The name "VDP Supercharged" was only used for the USA market since Jaguar, for some reason (to do with the proprietary rights, I think), was not allowed to use the name Daimler in the USA.

As for the 10th prefix, I think I read somewhere that Jaguar, at some point, discontinued using it for the model year. Could be because they were running out of letters?

 

I find it quite strange that looking up a VIN number is so difficult. I know it's a special car, but I would think that the VIN system is somewhat generic?

 

Just to make this even more complicated...

My VIN is: SAJJJALG4CR812xxx (the 3x stand for a very low VIN not far from the 600th built X308 )

Going by the list above, my car can't be decoded.

The 3rd J isn't in the list up top. But I guess it would mean XJ Executive.
The C isn't in the list above. Means I guess early 1998 or preproduction model.

No VIN decoder works properly on this...

 

While all of you are discussing weighty, useful matters who's ultimate conclusions will help many...


I'm stuck at "Double Six" appearing on a V8!


(Thought it was a long-standing Daimler V12 label?)

 

Hardly at all.

Just ask any dealer for a full print out. Normally free.

 

YES - I wrongly wrote that in my reply.

A Freudian Slip of automaticaly associating Daimler Vanden Plas with Double Six as I used to have one!

Graham

 

I also have recently bought a 1998 Daimler, only mine is the V8 (not super).

I am in the UK and am having similar issues decoding the VIN. As I understand it, changes to the way the VIN is put together came into effect in 1998 and depending on when the car was produced in 1998 will depend on which VIN system was applied.

Mine was registered to it's first owner in May 1998 and so would have been produced in early 1998 or even late 1997. As such, it appears to have the older VIN number and online decoders do not work. I have, however, found this:

xclusively jaguar

which seems to work - all of the letters/numbers work with the exception of the 10th one. I have a C, whereas the linked file does not give this as an option. Note, however, that the linked file is only supposed to work for the older X300 model (which ran until 1997, when the X308 model was introduced which we both have). It is quite possible that the letter C was introduced to differentiate the X308 from the X300 model cars. This concurs with an earlier post from a German website which lists options for the 10th digit, including B for the X300 and C for the X308.