How to Determine a Vehicle's Age?
3 Answers
Methods to determine a vehicle's age: Check the vehicle's user manual, which will have clear markings. If the user manual cannot be found, you can check the vehicle's registration certificate. If neither the user manual nor the registration certificate is available, you can only check via the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). The 10th digit of the VIN indicates the model year, which can be either a number or a letter. The vehicle scrappage age is a safety inspection system based on the number of seats and the period of use. It states that small and micro non-operational passenger vehicles, large non-operational cars, and wheeled special machinery vehicles have no usage age limit. For vehicles that reach a certain mileage, owners are guided to scrap them. The owner can sell the vehicle to a scrapped vehicle recycling and dismantling enterprise, which will handle the registration, dismantling, and destruction according to regulations.
I've been driving for several years, and the most straightforward method is to check the vehicle's nameplate or VIN code. The 10th digit of that 17-character chassis number represents the year—for example, T stands for 2020, and U for 2021, so you can quickly estimate the production date. Additionally, the vehicle registration certificate will show the first registration date, which reflects its actual age. Older cars depreciate faster, so when buying a used car, always verify this carefully—otherwise, repair costs might outweigh the savings. I once bought an older car without thorough inspection and ended up frequently replacing parts, losing all the money I thought I'd saved. For beginners, I recommend checking the vehicle history report to avoid accident-prone cars—safety comes first.
As someone who frequently helps friends pick cars, I think determining a car's age comes down to a few key points: First, check the manufacturing label on the glass or door frame, which shows the production month and year. The 10th digit of the VIN can also be looked up online to find the year code, which is very convenient. The registration date on the vehicle's documents is even more accurate. The car's age affects many things—older cars have higher insurance costs and tend to be noisier after prolonged use. Last year, when I helped a neighbor buy a car, we found one advertised as 5 years old but was actually 7, almost falling for the trick. So now, I always remind people to bring their phones, take photos on the spot, and verify details instead of just listening to the seller's pitch. The car's age is no small matter—it directly impacts driving comfort and safety.
