Reading a Volkswagen number
The first group names the platform generation, not just the model: 1K0 belongs to the Golf V family, 5G0 to the Golf VII, 3C0 to the Passat of the B6 and B7 era, 7N0 to the Sharan. The middle group is the assembly area and is constant across the whole group — 615 brakes, 407 front suspension and driveshafts, 199 mounts, 819 heating and ventilation, 971 wiring looms.
The trailing index letters mark the revision. Two conventions save real money at the counter: GRU on a body panel means it arrives primed for painting rather than finished, and a trailing X marks a factory exchange unit carrying a core deposit.
Passenger cars and Commercial Vehicles in one catalog
Transporter, Caddy, Crafter and Amarok resolve the same way a Golf does, and they carry the variant density every van family has: wheelbase, roof height, gross weight rating and drive layout each move real parts — brake lines, propshafts, exhaust sections, springs and dampers.
None of that is visible from the model name, and all of it is in the build record the VIN produces before the first diagram opens.
The data sticker settles what the VIN leaves open
Every Volkswagen carries a data sticker, usually in the spare-wheel well or on the boot floor and repeated in the service booklet. It lists the vehicle type, the paint and interior codes, and the PR code block — three-character codes for every factory option that changes the parts list.
When ETKA offers two brake or suspension variants for one VIN, a PR code separates them and the sticker says which this car has. Photographing it at vehicle reception saves the second trip to the workshop later.
Common Volkswagen nameplates
These nameplates help you find the right vehicle family. Confirm the exact model, market and production period against the active catalog before quoting a part:
| Model | Production years |
|---|---|
| Volkswagen Golf | 2019–present |
| Volkswagen Passat | 2014–2023 |
| Volkswagen Polo | 2017–present |
| Volkswagen Tiguan | 2016–present |
| Volkswagen Jetta | — |
| Volkswagen Touareg | — |
| Volkswagen Transporter | 2015–present |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Volkswagen parts catalogue the same as ETKA?
Yes. ETKA is the Volkswagen Group's own electronic parts catalog, and Volkswagen is the marque it was built around. It also covers Audi, Škoda, SEAT and Cupra.
What does GRU mean on a Volkswagen part number?
That the body panel is supplied primed for painting rather than finished. A trailing X is different again — it marks a factory exchange unit sold with a core deposit.
Are Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles in the same catalog?
Yes. Transporter, Caddy, Crafter and Amarok resolve by VIN alongside the passenger cars, with wheelbase, roof height and weight rating taken from the build record.