Ok, maybe I'm just bored, but this is a little nagging question that has always bothered me. Every body refers to the 3rd gen as the "FD3S" saying that that is the vehicle code...but in my VIN number there is no "S" anywhere. Mine is an "FD33" So what gives?

 

They all start with FD3... maybe the S is just the plural... like saying RX-7s. Just a guess.

 

isnt fd3s part of ths chassis code?

 

I believe you are right. The FD3's probably was shortened to FD3S.

Tim

 

It's Chassic Code.

 

Uh...

 

Ok, maybe I'm displaying my ignorance here, but I always thought that the "chassis code" was a subsection of the VIN. Take a look at this site for a breakdown of the VIN number:

http://www.accsupport.com/news05.htm

Character 1 is the country code: J = Japan in our case.
Character 2 is the manufacturer code: M = Mazda for us.
Character 3 "identifies the vehicle type or manufacturing division": Ours is 1 for whatever reason.
Characters 4 through 8 "identify various vehicle attributes, such as: car line and series, restraint system, engine type and body style": This is what I have always thought of as the "chassis code", and in my case it's "FD331"

Am I mistaken here? Is the chassis code something totally different? If so, where on the body is it denoted? Or is it not on the body at all? Thanks guys.