What is my GHIN number?

If you own an Audi or a Volkswagen, here's a great site to help you identify parts on your car:

www.vagcat.com

This is an abbreviation for Volkswagen Audi Group Catalog. It's an online resource that will help you identify parts on your car when something breaks. Simply go to the site, sign up for your particular car (it's free), and then you can begin browsing the catalog of diagrams. The cars are first broken down into major subsystems (engine cooling, engine electrical, engine mechanical, interior, body, brakes, etc), and further broken down once your category is selected.

Once you're into the subsystem you need, you'll see an exploded parts diagram, with each part represented by shape, size, and location, and indexed by a marking number. On the right side of the page, you'll see a list of those index numbers, and next to each is the factory name and factory part number for that piece. It's a great way to find out what that broken thing under the hood is, or that bent piece on the suspension, so you can provide the OEM part number to your dealer to ensure you get the correct replacement part.