public static boolean isVinValid(String vin) {
       int[] values = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 0, 7, 0, 9,
               2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 };
       int[] weights = { 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 10, 0, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 };
      

       String s = vin;
       s = s.replaceAll("-", "");
       s = s.replaceAll(" ", "");
       s = s.toUpperCase();
       if (s.length() != 17)
           throw new RuntimeException("VIN number must be 17 characters");

       int sum = 0;
       for (int i = 0; i < 17; i++) {
           char c = s.charAt(i);
           int value;
           int weight = weights[i];

           // letter
           if (c >= 'A' && c <= 'Z') {
               value = values[c - 'A'];
               if (value == 0)
                   throw new RuntimeException("Illegal character: " + c);
           }

           // number
           else if (c >= '0' && c <= '9')
               value = c - '0';

           // illegal character
           else
               throw new RuntimeException("Illegal character: " + c);

           sum = sum + weight * value;

       }
      

       // check digit
       sum = sum % 11;
       char check = s.charAt(8);
       if (sum == 10 && check == 'X') {
           System.out.println("Valid");
           return true;
       } else if (sum == transliterate(check)) {
           System.out.println("Valid");
           return true;
       } else {
           System.out.println("Invalid");
           return false;
       } 

   }
   
   private static int transliterate(char check){
     if(check == 'A' || check == 'J'){
   		return 1;
   	} else if(check == 'B' || check == 'K' || check == 'S'){
   		return 2;
   	} else if(check == 'C' || check == 'L' || check == 'T'){
   		return 3;
   	} else if(check == 'D' || check == 'M' || check == 'U'){
   		return 4;
   	} else if(check == 'E' || check == 'N' || check == 'V'){
   		return 5;
   	} else if(check == 'F' || check == 'W'){
   		return 6;
   	} else if(check == 'G' || check == 'P' || check == 'X'){
   		return 7;
   	} else if(check == 'H' || check == 'Y'){
   		return 8;
   	} else if(check == 'R' || check == 'Z'){
   		return 9;
   	} else if(Integer.valueOf(Character.getNumericValue(check)) != null){ //hacky but works
   		return Character.getNumericValue(check);
   	}
   	return -1;
   }
   
   
   
   public static boolean isVinValid2(String VIN) {
       int[] values = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 0, 1,
                        2, 3, 4, 5, 0, 7, 0, 9, 2, 3,
                        4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 };
       int[] weights = { 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 10, 0, 9,
                         8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 };

       VIN = VIN.replaceAll("-", "");
       VIN = VIN.toUpperCase();
       if (VIN.length() != 17)
               return false;
           //throw new RuntimeException("VIN number must be 17 characters");

       int sum = 0;
       for (int i = 0; i < 17; i++) {
           char c = VIN.charAt(i);
           int value;
           int weight = weights[i];

           // letter
           if (c >= 'A' && c <= 'Z') {
               value = values[c - 'A'];
               if (value == 0)
                       return false;
                   //throw new RuntimeException("Illegal character: " + c);
           }

           // number
           else if (c >= '0' && c <= '9') value = c - '0';
               
           // illegal character
           else return false; //throw new RuntimeException("Illegal character: " + c);

           sum = sum + weight * value;

       }

       // check digit
       sum = sum % 11;
       char check = VIN.charAt(8);
       if (check != 'X' && (check < '0' || check > '9'))
               return false;
           //throw new RuntimeException("Illegal check digit: " + check);
       if      (sum == 10 && check == 'X') return true; // System.out.println("Valid");
       else if (sum == check - '0')        return true; // System.out.println("Valid");
       else                                return false; // System.out.println("Invalid");

   }