Is this a bit odd?

[Higgs boson]

I'm buying a bit for my e39 from ebay. I'm very sure the item fits my car, but the vendor requests my reg number and vin.
I reply with last 7 characters of vin ... enough for BMW/realoem for id purposes.
He comes back with a request for the full vin - "just in case".
What info can be gleaned from the full 17 character vin, as opposed to the last 7, that would help to ensure that the part will fit my car? TIA.

[Mr Tidy]

That does sound a bit strange - I've only ever been asked for the Reg. No. by BMW dealerships!

I'm not sure what the full VIN might include, but like you I don't think I'd want to share that - can't the seller specify exactly what models their product will fit?

[d_a_n1979]

Higgs boson said:

I'm buying a bit for my e39 from ebay. I'm very sure the item fits my car, but the vendor requests my reg number and vin.
I reply with last 7 characters of vin ... enough for BMW/realoem for id purposes.
He comes back with a request for the full vin - "just in case".
What info can be gleaned from the full 17 character vin, as opposed to the last 7, that would help to ensure that the part will fit my car? TIA.

Last 7 digits is all that’s needed

What is it you’re buying and from which seller?

[Higgs boson]

Buying a steering part.
Seller has @5000 sales with 99% feedback.

[d_a_n1979]

Higgs boson said:

Buying a steering part.
Seller has @5000 sales with 99% feedback.

If you’ve already got the part number via RealOEM then you’re fine. If the part you’re buying shares that part number, it’s sorted

Never heard of that reseller, the ones I usually use are johnnyboy, BMWmotormec & C3BMW

[worsy]

Is it JustBMW 24/7? If so a mate of mine.

[Higgs boson]

worsy said:

Is it JustBMW 24/7? If so a mate of mine.

Not him.

[BFleming]

With the last 7 digits, you can put them into a BMW VIN decoder & it'll give you the full VIN anyhow - so it really doesn't matter which you give them.
It's just the seller covering themselves against returns because the wrong part was supplied.