Short answer: before quoting a part, ask for the plate or the VIN. With either one you can identify the make, model, year and trim, which is what determines which part fits. If the customer doesn't have them handy, a photo of the registration document works: it includes both. Quoting with only "model and year" is the most common way to get the part wrong.
Why "Hilux 2018" isn't enough
The same model and year can come with different engines, transmissions, drivetrains or equipment levels. And many parts change depending on that trim: brakes, filters, shock absorbers, clutches, suspension parts. If you quote with only the model and year, you can end up sending a part that doesn't fit, with a return, an annoyed customer and a salesperson who had to do the work twice.
That's why the first goal of the conversation isn't the part, but identifying the vehicle without ambiguity.
The three details that work
The plate
It's the detail the customer always has handy. In Chile, current plates have four letters and two numbers (for example, BBBB·12) and older ones have two letters and four numbers (AB·1234). From the plate you can get to the vehicle's data, but the plate on its own doesn't tell you which trim it is: you need to cross-check it with a source that links it to the vehicle.
The VIN (chassis number)
The VIN is the vehicle identification number assigned by the manufacturer. It has 17 characters, combines letters and numbers and doesn't use the letters I, O or Q, so they aren't confused with 1 and 0. The first characters identify the manufacturer and the following ones describe the vehicle; for many makes, the tenth character indicates the model year.
It's the most precise detail for finding the right OEM number, because it's tied to how that vehicle left the factory. It's usually on the registration document, on a plate at the base of the windshield or on the driver's door frame.
The photo of the registration document
For the customer, taking a photo of the registration document (padrón) is easier than copying 17 characters without a mistake. The registration document includes the plate, make, model, year and the engine and chassis numbers. A good photo solves the identification in a single message.
How to ask for it without scaring the customer off
- Ask for it in the first message and explain why: "To quote you the exact part, could you send me the plate or a photo of the registration document?". The customer understands it's to avoid mistakes.
- Accept whatever they have handy. Plate, VIN or photo: any of them works. Don't ask for all three.
- Confirm the vehicle before quoting. "It's a 2021 Renault Duster, correct?" avoids the most expensive mistake, which is quoting the right part for the wrong car.
From the vehicle to the OEM number
With the vehicle identified, the next step is to find the part's OEM number in the manufacturer's catalog (the exploded view) and then look it up in your stock, whether it's the original or an equivalent alternative. It's the step that takes a salesperson the most time and depends most on their experience.
How Partsflow does it
Julia, the agent that handles the customer, asks for the plate or the VIN and, if the customer sends a photo of the registration document, pulls the vehicle data from it, without asking ten questions. Then Victor finds the OEM number and shows your salesperson the catalog exploded-view image, the similarity score and the source, so they can check it in seconds before sending the quote with price, stock and a purchase link.
The part-number finder covers light vehicles; it does not cover trucks.
If you want to see how it works with your own parts, see what an AI agent for auto parts does or book a 20-min demo.