How to Identify a Vehicle's Manufacturing Date?
2 Answers
You can check the manufacturing date of a car from two places. Passenger side: Below the B-pillar, visible upon opening the door. The nameplate here only specifies the year and month. It also includes the vehicle's VIN. New vehicle certificate: Located in the upper right corner of the certificate. The manufacturing date here is precise down to the year, month, and day. Additional information: Vehicle nameplate: A plate indicating the basic characteristics of the vehicle, including the brand, model, engine power, total weight, load capacity or passenger capacity, factory number, manufacturing date, and manufacturer name. Checking the factory nameplate: Ensure the vehicle's displacement and manufacturing date, and check for any signs of tampering or scratches on the nameplate, as many are installed in hard-to-reach areas. Also, compare the registration date on the vehicle's license with the manufacturing date. If there's a significant gap between the two dates, it may indicate the vehicle has been in storage for a long time.
There are several common methods to identify a vehicle's manufacturing date. My preferred approach is checking the 17-digit VIN code, which reveals production secrets. Typically found on the lower left corner of the windshield or the passenger door frame, this alphanumeric sequence contains the year code in its 10th character - for instance, P or R represents 2023 models when cross-referenced with year code tables. The vehicle's metal identification plate (located in the engine bay or inner B-pillar) provides another crucial clue, clearly displaying the year and month - like the car I inspected for my neighbor yesterday showed "03/23". For imported vehicles, the customs clearance documents specify exact dates including customs declaration months. Component dates (tires, windows) serve as secondary verification since these parts cannot be newer than the vehicle's assembly date. Always check the delivery records in the maintenance manual too - I've seen cases where buyers overlooked the sales date noted there, leading to incorrect age assessments.
