How to Identify a Stock Vehicle?
2 Answers
Methods to determine if a vehicle is a stock vehicle are as follows: 1. First, the most direct way is to check the vehicle's nameplate. Generally, the vehicle nameplate is located on both sides of the door and can be seen upon opening the door. The nameplate will display the vehicle's production date; typically, if it exceeds 6 months, it is considered a stock vehicle. 2. Check the production date on the tires. Usually, the last two digits indicate the year of production, while the first two digits indicate the week of production in that year. 3. Inspect the production time of the car glass, which is usually found on the windshield. For example, a '5' represents production in 2015, with a small dot in front indicating the first half of the year and a small dot at the back indicating the second half of the year. 4. Open the engine hood to check if there is accumulated dust on the car engine or if there are signs of screws being turned. If present, it suggests that the vehicle is older or has undergone repairs.
There are several ways to check for stock vehicles, and I usually enjoy researching these myself. The first step is to locate the vehicle's identification plate, typically found on the door frame's B-pillar or in a corner of the engine compartment, which indicates the manufacturing date. If it's over six months old, it's generally considered a stock vehicle. Next, examine the tires—there's a four-digit number inside an oval frame on the tire sidewall, such as '1823,' meaning the 18th week of 2023. Stock vehicles' tires might show minor cracks on the edges, and the tread patterns may reveal slight indentations. Pay special attention to the brake discs in the engine compartment; vehicles parked for a long time will have extensive rust. Also, feel the rubber seals—if the sunroof and door seals are hard and brittle, they've definitely been exposed to the elements for too long. Finally, pop the hood, pull out the dipstick to check the oil color—if it's cloudy or black, the car has been sitting for too long.
