Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg (MAN) VIN Calculation Tips

[Detroit Diesel 6V92TA]

Understanding how MAN VINs sequentially increase is generally confusing.

13M293036EC490691 for example:

13M = MAN (U.S.)

293 = 293 series

03 = 3rd roll over for the 293 series' serials (I will explain later)

6 = check digit (Can be calculated automatically here: https://vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/decoder/checkdigit)

E = 1984 model (VIN year code)

C = Plant code (North Carolina)

490691 = serial (Note, the "49" also represents the unit number for a specific order, I will explain later).

 

General increasing of serials example: 13M293039EC960725 -> 13M293036EC970726.

In standard cases, the check digit (9th digit) will decrease by -3, as seen above, while the 13th & 17th digits increase by +1.

 

Serial number roll over case 1: 13M293036EC490691 -> 13M293035EC500692.

The 13th digit of the VIN rolls over to 0.

The 12th digit increases by +1 (like 49 to 50).

The check digit (9th digit) decreases by -1.

 

Serial number roll over case 2: 13M293037EC470689 -> 13M293039EC480690.

The 17th digit of the VIN rolls over to 0.

The 13th digit increases by +1 (standard for MAN VINs).

The check digit (9th digit) will increase by +2.

 

Serial number roll over case 3: 13M293033EC690699 -> 13M293033EC700700.

The 13th, 16th & 17th digits roll over to 0.

The 12th & 15th digits increase by +1.

The check digit (9th digit) does not increase or decrease.

Note: If the 16th digit does not roll over to 0 (example  13M293036EC690689 -> 13M29303XEC700690)(Fake VINs), the check digit (9th digit) increases by +4.

 

Serial number roll over case 4: 13M293044EC710799 -> 13M293042EC720800.

The 16th & 17th digits roll over to 0.

The 13th digit increases by +1.

The check digit (9th digit) decreases by -2.

 

Serial number roll over case 5: 13M293047FC990963 -> 13M293051FC000964.

The 17th digit increased by +1 like normal.

The 12th & 13th digits of the VIN rolled over to 00.

The 8th digit (serial roll over counter for the 293 series) increased from 29304 to 29305.

The check digit (9th digit) increased by +5. (7 + 5 =12. If 9 = 9, X = 10, 0 =11, 1 =12), making the check digit "1."

 

Serial number increase by transit agency order example:

EC510693 (Bee-Line 660) -> EC640694 (RGRTA 301)  compared to EC810646 (SF Muni 6000) -> EC820711 (SF Muni 6001).

 

Series:

293 (most common), 782, 783, 784 were used for MAN SG-310's.

792 was used for MAN Americana's.

797 was used for MAN SGT-310's (trolley artics).

 

Hopefully these tips will make adding check digits and full VINs for MAN buses a bit easier. They can be used as a guide.

 

Edited May 10, 2020 by Detroit Diesel 6V92TA
Added another roll over case

[A. Wong]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing this decoding information!