How to identify a part without the OE number

How do I identify the correct part if I don't have the OE number?

You identify it from three inputs that stand in for the OE number. First is the VIN, the car's 17-character chassis number. Second is a photo of the engine plate (the metal label or the code stamped on the block). Third is a photo of the old part, front and back. From those three I confirm the brand, engine, market build and side, find the current OE number and hand it back to you. You don't need to own the number; you need the part to fit, and for that the VIN plus photos are more reliable than a code copied off an old invoice.

Why aren't the model name and year enough?

On Chinese brands the same model changes parts across engine versions, across facelifts and by side, all without changing the name. "A 2021 headlight" can map to two or three different part numbers depending on the engine, whether it's left or right, and whether it's halogen or LED. So the model name and year only narrow the search; they don't pin the part. The 17-character VIN does pin it, because it encodes the engine and the market build that the commercial name hides.

What does each of the three photos actually do?

Each photo answers a different question. This table lays out what each one confirms and the wrong-version risk it removes:

The model name is deliberately not in the table: it's the detail that separates versions least. The clips and connector pins separate them most.

What if the OE number from my old invoice returns nothing?

This is common. An old OE number copied off an invoice sometimes points to a superseded revision: the maker retired it and replaced it with a new code, so the old one no longer returns anything in the catalog. When that happens I don't chase the dead number. I start from the VIN and the photo of the real part, identify it physically, and reach the current OE number. The old number is a hint, never the basis for packing and shipping.

Which parts are most version-sensitive, and why is guessing expensive?

Some parts turn from correct to scrap over a few millimetres or one connector. These are the ones that most justify the VIN and photos:

• Control arms / suspension. On the Changan CS75 Plus, the AWD build can run a forged-aluminium arm with an 18 mm ball-joint pin, while the FWD runs a stamped-steel arm with a 16 mm pin. Getting it wrong is 2 mm that won't seat.
• Radiators and cooling parts. On models like the Jetour X70, the automatic-transmission radiator (DCT/AT) carries a port for the transmission oil cooler; the manual one doesn't. Same car, different radiator.
• Cooling fans and water pumps. A 3-cylinder and a 4-cylinder engine in the same family can use fans with different control types (for example a 4-pin PWM plug versus a traditional one), so "the fan for that model" is not a single part.
• Catalytic converters. The value is in the unseen precious-metal coating. Two converters with the same shell can differ hugely in loading and in whether they pass an emissions test. Here the wrong version doesn't just misfit: it can trip the check-engine light.

The rule is simple: the more expensive the mistake, the more it pays to stop and confirm the version before quoting.

What is the minimum information you need to quote?

More is better, but if you don't have it all, here's the priority order, from the cheapest data to get to the most complete. The first five already let me work without an OE number:

1. Brand, model, year and market (for example Chery Tiggo, 2022, Chile).
2. 17-character VIN.
3. Engine and transmission type (petrol, hybrid, electric; manual, DCT or AT; 4x2 or 4x4).
4. Side (left or right) and trim level.
5. Photo of the front or rear of the car, depending on the part.
6. Photo of the old part, front and back, with any stamped numbers.

With less than the first five, the honest answer is "missing information," not a guessed part. I'd rather ask for one more photo than ship you the wrong version.

What does this cost and how long does it take?

Identifying the part from the VIN and photos costs nothing; it's part of quoting. To ground you on price, here are real ranges for version-sensitive parts we carry, all with a minimum order of a single piece unless noted:

• LED front headlight (Chery Jetour X90 / X95): USD 135-155 per piece, MOQ 1 piece.
• Tail lamp (Chery Jetour X70 PLUS): USD 140-160 per piece, MOQ 2 pieces.
• Side mirror (Chery Jetour X70 PLUS): USD 150-160 per piece, MOQ 1 piece.
• Front bumper (Jetour X70): USD 100-130 per piece, MOQ 1 piece.
• Radiator cooling fan (Chery Jetour X70): USD 40-50 per piece, MOQ 1 piece.

On timing, many of these high-rotation parts are available in 2-4 working days. Quoting on the right version from the start is what keeps that time from getting eaten by a return.