How many credits to switch VIN #

[Jj5cool1]

I have a 2003 Cavalier with the GMPP S/C kit and GM Flash, so my VIN is now locked with S/C Flash.
I want to revert the car back to stock so I bought a spare PCM from another 2003 Cavalier with the same options as mine. I plan on using this used stock PCM and switching the VIN # on it.

My question is how many credits will I need to do this?
Will it be 4 credits (2 for my original PCM's VIN and 2 for the used PCM's VIN), or just 2 credits (for the used PCM's VIN)?

I searched around the forum but I've found people saying only two and others saying all 4, but I'd rather be sure on my specific situation.

Thanks for all your help
- Jay

[Bill@HPTuners]

Year model license is necessary which I believe is 6 credits for your application.

[GPGTP]

Year model license is necessary which I believe is 6 credits for your application.

why is year/ model necessary? Can you elaborate please?

[Bill@HPTuners]

Because of our licensing, otherwise it would break it.

[planethax]

So since his first Pcm is locked, let forget about that one.

So the new (used pcm) if he licences that one, (2 credits) then just wants to change VIN (not changing Osids or anything, just VIN) would that cost credits?

I thought the Licencing was on VCMID and the File?

[Bill@HPTuners]

We offer 3 flavors of license

Single vcm(relatively new in the grand scheme of things) which licenses to the vcm id number(or in the case of fords the vin, this is why we do not allow vin changing on fords at all)
Year/Model-a unique concept and which was used since day one, difficult to maintain on the back end but offers a cost effective way to tune multiple vehicles in a specific year/model, very popular.
Unlimited vehicle group ie all Gen 3 car, Gen 4 car, Gen 4 truck, etc. pretty self explanatory.

Because single vcm licenses license the vcm id number and not a vin it has no way to know if you have a license for a specific vin number or not hence the reason the year/model(at minimum) is necessary.

[planethax]

........
Because single vcm licenses license the vcm id number and not a vin it has no way to know if you have a license for a specific vin number or not hence the reason the year/model(at minimum) is necessary.

This is where I am lost, if the licence is for the VCM ID, why do you need year/model to change the VIN.

If he pulls file off of Spare ECM, licences that File and VCM ID (2 credits)
Why cant he just change VIN then?? Since the VIN is not part of the licencing structure?

[Bill@HPTuners]

I could be wrong, I always thought you needed the year/model license since the help file states

Change VIN Rules
The following checks are in place when using the Change VIN function:

• You must have support for the vehicle you are modifying.
• You must have support for the new VIN you are trying to write.
• The new VIN must be valid and must qualify for the OS currently found on the VCM.

And since you'd only have support for a group of vin's by having a year/model license I can only deduce from that you would need the year/model license. Again I could be wrong as I've never personally tested it but it sounds logical at least.

[planethax]

.......
The following checks are in place when using the Change VIN function:

• You must have support for the vehicle you are modifying.
• You must have support for the new VIN you are trying to write.
• The new VIN must be valid and must qualify for the OS currently found on the VCM.

.........

Would be googd to know for sure as I read it as

• The VCM ID is Licenced
• The File is Licenced
• and the dreaded Osid must Match the Vin structure

[Mikehunt]

Find someone with a tech 2 and TIS to web and he could do it for free

[planethax]

Find someone with a tech 2 and TIS to web and he could do it for free

I have both but it would be nice to know for sure.

[Mikehunt]

Just goto replace and reprogram and type in the vin number I have done it many times before