Where to Check the Manufacturing Date of a New Car?
3 Answers
Generally, cars come with a manufacturer's nameplate, which is usually located on the firewall, the radiator support, or near the front windshield. This is where you can find the manufacturing information of the new car. Below are some precautions for using a new car: 1. Cold Engine Warm-up: Proper warm-up helps form an "oil film" between engine components, reducing wear. 2. Timely Gear Shifting: During the break-in period of a manual transmission car, shift gears promptly and appropriately to avoid incorrect behaviors like high gear at low RPM or low gear at high RPM. Also, avoid using a single gear for extended periods. 3. Timely Maintenance: Simply follow the manufacturer's recommendations in the vehicle manual. After reaching a certain mileage or time, promptly inspect and maintain the vehicle, including changing the engine oil and oil filter, and thoroughly checking the chassis system. 4. Avoid Emergency Braking: Emergency braking not only impacts the braking system during the break-in period but also increases the shock load on the vehicle's chassis and engine.
Last time I accompanied a friend to pick up a new car, I noticed this detail: the most obvious is the 10th digit of the VIN at the bottom left corner of the windshield, where letters represent the year, for example, M stands for 2021 and N for 2022. The sticker on the B-pillar of the passenger door frame will state the 'manufacturing year and month' down to the specific month. Don’t trust the dealer’s claim of a '2022 model'—it might actually be manufactured in 2021. There’s also an aluminum nameplate in the engine compartment engraved with the production date. Remember to cross-check it with the date on the Vehicle Conformity Certificate; a difference of more than three months might indicate it’s a stock car. Recently, while helping my cousin inspect a car, I found that the last four digits of the DOT code on the inner side of the tires should also be checked. For example, 3721 means the 37th week of 2021. If the tire production date is half a year earlier than the vehicle’s production date, that would be odd.
I also struggled with this issue when I first bought a car. Here are two practical tips for you: Before starting the car, crouch down and check the VIN on the windshield. The tenth letter corresponds to the year, which you can easily find online. Then, open the driver's door and look for a palm-sized information sticker next to the door frame seal—it clearly states the details. Remember to check the date on the copy of the vehicle's conformity certificate that comes with the car; it's even more authoritative than the sticker. Also, a heads-up: some display cars have had their rims replaced, so make sure to check the year markings on the car windows. The numbers represent the year, and the decimal points indicate the month. For example, '1·2' means the glass was produced in February 2021.
