[p1zaul]

anyone able to use the below decoder, this seems to be the best one out there. all of a sudden the button to click "I'm not a robot" seems to be missing.

https://decoder.bvzine.com

[apexit4]

Originally Posted by p1zaul

anyone able to use the below decoder, this seems to be the best one out there. all of a sudden the button to click "I'm not a robot" seems to be missing.

https://decoder.bvzine.com

I'm having issues using it either so it might not be an issue local to you. Have you used https://www.mdecoder.com/ ? I've found that its pretty thorough.

[b92]

I typically use https://www.mdecoder.com/ , as apexit4 mentioned.

[ctuna]

A lot of the vindecoders don't work now or
think you want some kind of Carfax history that
they want to charge you for.

[vinsideguy]

Originally Posted by ctuna

A lot of the vindecoders don't work now

BMW isn't making it easy. The legal team has argued that VIN decoder sites like these aren't a legitimate use of BMW's proprietary data. BMW's also started putting in restrictions on access to that data. Not to get too bogged down in the details, but any VIN decoder site getting a decent amount of traffic will have had to figure out how to get round those restrictions.

BTW the guys behind both the decoders mentioned in this thread have had BMW's lawyers in touch in the last few years...

[apexit4]

Originally Posted by vinsideguy

BMW isn't making it easy. The legal team has argued that VIN decoder sites like these aren't a legitimate use of BMW's proprietary data. BMW's also started putting in restrictions on access to that data. Not to get too bogged down in the details, but any VIN decoder site getting a decent amount of traffic will have had to figure out how to get round those restrictions.

BTW the guys behind both the decoders mentioned in this thread have had BMW's lawyers in touch in the last few years...

Thanks for the heads up. I went ahead and downloaded the information for mine just in case none of these websites work in the future.

You wouldnt happen to know BMW's reasoning behind their argument that these sites aren't a legitimate use of BMW's proprietary data would you?

[hassmaschine]

It's easy. BMWs proprietary databases get leaked, and sold on the gray market. These guys build a product around the 'stolen' database, so naturally they're putting themselves at risk.

It's the same thing with the ETK, TIS, WDS, Daten files, etc. - technically, that's all proprietary for BMW and generally not licensed for public use, and where those files came from is almost certainly unauthorized. I'm honestly not sure how sites like realoem.com stay around, maybe they have a deal with BMW or something..

[apexit4]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

It's easy. BMWs proprietary databases get leaked, and sold on the gray market. These guys build a product around the 'stolen' database, so naturally they're putting themselves at risk.

It's the same thing with the ETK, TIS, WDS, Daten files, etc. - technically, that's all proprietary for BMW and generally not licensed for public use, and where those files came from is almost certainly unauthorized. I'm honestly not sure how sites like realoem.com stay around, maybe they have a deal with BMW or something..

I understand the logic on the software side of things (ETK, TIS, etc.). That was software that was developed by or specifically for BMW and they own or license the IP on that. But I still fail to see how the package names are considered proprietary. On the face of it, it doesnt seem to me that there is anything special to assigning a package name to each option available on a given vehicle (unless there is much more to this process than I am aware of).

I suspect RealOEM is still around because the information on their website is readily available from the dealer. I've received parts diagrams from dealers in the past as well as part numbers.

[vinsideguy]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

I'm honestly not sure how sites like realoem.com stay around

A big advantage realoem.com has is that the site is called realoem.com, which has nothing to do with BMW. The guys behind the other decoders in the thread used to run different websites* until BMW shut them down for infringing on its trademark. That's by far the easiest way to take down sites like this.

*I won't name the old sites in case the owners don't want people knowing they're still the same guys, but anybody who's been using the decoders for a while probably knows what the addresses of both used to be.

[vinsideguy]

Originally Posted by apexit4

I suspect RealOEM is still around because the information on their website is readily available from the dealer. I've received parts diagrams from dealers in the past as well as part numbers.

Yeah, the info there and on the VIN decoders is 100% BMW proprietary data, copyright, protected by a whole bunch of laws yadda yadda yadda. But BMW's also legally obligated to price that information to third parties, e.g. independent mechanics, for legitimate uses. BMW doesn't think it's obligated to provide this information to these kinds of sites, because it doesn't think it's a legitimate use, but there isn't much anybody can do to stop the data getting out. All they can do is figure out how these sites are posing as legitimate users, then find a way to prevent them from doing that without preventing actual legitimate users getting the info they're entitled to. But then the sites just need to find a new way to look legitimate when getting the data.

[hassmaschine]

Originally Posted by apexit4

I understand the logic on the software side of things (ETK, TIS, etc.). That was software that was developed by or specifically for BMW and they own or license the IP on that. But I still fail to see how the package names are considered proprietary. On the face of it, it doesnt seem to me that there is anything special to assigning a package name to each option available on a given vehicle (unless there is much more to this process than I am aware of).

I suspect RealOEM is still around because the information on their website is readily available from the dealer. I've received parts diagrams from dealers in the past as well as part numbers.

yeah, the part numbers are available online - but the database is not. 100%, they either have a deal with BMW, or they bought the database off a grey market site. You can't recreate the ETK database by surfing the dealer's websites. There is way more to it than what you can see even on realoem.