relationship between the year on the vin plate and the model year

5:12

5:12

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hello peeps,

so what's the relationship between the year stamped on the vin plate and the actual model year?! these are the explanations i've gotten so far:

1) regardless of the month, year on vin plate = model year (ie: 5/12, month of may, year 2012 = model year 2012)

2) if the month on the vin plate is towards the late months (nov/dec) = the following year model (ie: 12/11, month of dec, year 2011 = model year 2012)

3) if the month on the vin plate is early to mid months (jan-sept?) = the same year model (ie: 1/12 or 5/12, month of jan/may, year 2012 = model year 2012)

could someone confirm and/or clarify?! thanks.
 
5:12 said:
hello peeps,

so what's the relationship between the year stamped on the vin plate and the actual model year?! these are the explanations i've gotten so far:

1) regardless of the month, year on vin plate = model year (ie: 5/12, month of may, year 2012 = model year 2012)

2) if the month on the vin plate is towards the late months (nov/dec) = the following year model (ie: 12/11, month of dec, year 2011 = model year 2012)

3) if the month on the vin plate is early to mid months (jan-sept?) = the same year model (ie: 1/12 or 5/12, month of jan/may, year 2012 = model year 2012)

could someone confirm and/or clarify?! thanks.
Click to expand...

Year (10th digit) is as in depth as the model year gets on the VIN. There is no identifiable month.
The yr on the VIN is the model year of the vehicle.
Some labels also give the 'build date' which shows the month and yr the unit was assembled, but it is NOT part of the VIN.
 
Indeed, Gary is quite correct.

The 10th digit of the VIN (when read from the left; sorry, but I've actually had to explain that to customers or even a few techs in the past), is the only info used when determining the model year. Everything else is irrelevant, including the specific date of manufacture.
 
5:12 said:
hello peeps,

so what's the relationship between the year stamped on the vin plate and the actual model year?! these are the explanations i've gotten so far:

1) regardless of the month, year on vin plate = model year (ie: 5/12, month of may, year 2012 = model year 2012)

2) if the month on the vin plate is towards the late months (nov/dec) = the following year model (ie: 12/11, month of dec, year 2011 = model year 2012)

3) if the month on the vin plate is early to mid months (jan-sept?) = the same year model (ie: 1/12 or 5/12, month of jan/may, year 2012 = model year 2012)

could someone confirm and/or clarify?! thanks.
Click to expand...
It's too complicated bro... :toothy9:
 
yeah. i've been searching for a good descriptive article or something which would explain the details. though i found partial explanation. the search continues.. (yamaha bike btw).
 
There is no hard and fast rule regarding build date and year as reported by VIN. Manufacurer sets the model year. There are many examples of a new model car being released in early one year, and marketted as the following model year. For example, they may say 2001 and a half, with the vin saying 2001, and other times it is called a 2002 but was built in jan of 2001. Build date is used to ensure you get correct parts in some cases when mid year changes occur.
 
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In most cases you don't need build date for correct parts. When specs and/or parts change mid-year the replacement parts will be most correctly identified by VIN range. In other words, a good parts counter person will ask for the VIN not to understand build date, but to understand parts compatibility.
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