E36 (1991 - 1999)
So when I go to check the VIN of the BMW I've recently bought, I either get 'this is not a valid VIN' or a car which is much younger than mine. I know that the car was originally an E36 325i (1996) and now has a lot of E36 M3 parts including an engine, but surely this isn't a factor.
Some sites...