Panel Etching

Excuse the ignorance, but what panels, and etched with what???

Body panels etched with the VIN. I can't find the original post. It must be a rumor.

I watched on a TV show that body panels on luxury cars are etched with the VIN so that thieves who steal your car can't simply replace the VIN stickers and sell the car like it's brand new. It's a passive theft-deterrent feature.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VIN_Etching

also works for locating hit and run drivers..... quite a few have been caught in california due to this etching.... its a good thing.