I have a '96 A4 that it appears I need to replace the engine. On a locater website it asks if it is thru VIN 129646 or from VIN 129647. I am assuming that is the last six digits of the VIN Anyone no the difference? I can find the thru 129646 engine a whole lot closer to my location but my car is way past the cut off.

 

I don't know how to decode that part of the VIN, but I would think that any 12v 2.8 would fit. Maybe that's how they distinguish between the 12v and the 30v (and you need the 12v). They only put the 12v in the A4 for two years, but it was also put in other cars. You may have to change some things if the engine came from something other than an A4, but I doubt the modifications would be very extensive.