Build and compliance plate dates a bit far apart?

[Gti Dave]

Hey guys, I just noticed that the build date and compliance date is extremely far apart and I'm not talking about 6 months to 1 year. I'm talking about 2 years!!! I called the dealer up and asked about what was going on and why was I sold a Skoda prefacelift RS with an 07 build but 09 compliance and was sold as 2009 model. And they told me that its normal and it won't affect my resale value as year make and model is based on compliance plate and not build date. Is that true? I had a look at my polo and everything seems in correct order but is that due to Skoda not being reintroduced back into Australia until around that time hence stock was left sitting there at the factory until they could off load them to Australia? Anybody know if this true or have the same thing?

[spaz74]

My understanding when you try and sell it is all about build year. No-one cares that a 2006 built car was a 2008 model. You will lose out on resale vale by two years. This is all about sales tactics by the salesman. An honest salesman would let you know or discount the car accordingly.

[Julian Edgar]

I'd be jumping up and down a LOT

[CanberravRS]

I would have thought that would have been picked up at Registration time.. and on your rego forms..

[K1W1]

It's not that uncommon.
Being an 07 it was probably amongst the first batch of cars Skoda Australia ordered and was left sitting in a customs bond yard at Patricks for a couple of years until you purchased it. The compliance plate date would be when it left that bond yard. The importer doesn't have to pay duties and taxes until the car leaves bond which is why they are sometimes left there when sales are slow. It would also make it easier to put the cars back on a boat and send them to the UK if Skoda Australia bombed.
From a resale point of view a dealer will only look at the compliance date because that is the date that is important (I did this for 10 years in three countries and I have valued and purchased thousands of used cars at dealerships). There may be a small deduction for for example an 06 build 08 compliance car but when it hits the used car yard the form on the windows says 08 not 06.
Having said that and I have sold at least one car I can remember in exactly the same position as you describe professionally I made sure that the purchaser was aware of the situation before they signed up and there was a clause written on the contract where the purchaser acknowledged that they knew the dates. Generally a small cash incentive is enough to overcome any fears on the part of the purchaser.
Legally you probably have no comeback unless you can prove that somebody lied to you or deliberately mislead you but I guess that probably doesn't stop you making a fuss.

[sh|tbmxrider]

I agree: Its fairly standard practice... Compliance date is the important one...

[Julian Edgar]

I can only speak as a private buyer of used cars, but I certainly look at the build date and not the compliance date. 'Year of the car' does NOT, IMHO, mean the date it was complied. I would also think you'd be in pretty deep water advertising a car in that way.

[Gti Dave]

Hey guys thanks for your reply. I called up Skoda Australia and they said the same as you guys. I had a look at the paperwork and yes it was held at Patricks so I guess it was left sitting there for a while. I have heard previously from somewhere that cars used to be valued based on build date but a few years ago things have changed especially in Victoria where a car is now valued on the date of compliance. The car dealer who sold it to me said the exact same thing. I had a feeling that because Skoda is relatively new in Australia, it was probably one of those in the first batch to arrive and sit there. It doesn't really bother me much anymore since I really love the car and its on salary packaging anyway and a much better car than our previous Ford Fiesta (that was recently written off in the Melbourne floods). In terms of private buyers, I do understand that everyone might look for exact build date and not care much about compliance date but this car is definately a keeper since I've got a few things planned to make this yellow taxi a damn fast and unique looking one. You won't miss it if you're in Melb after what I've got planned for it

[spaz74]

I can only speak as a private buyer of used cars, but I certainly look at the build date and not the compliance date. 'Year of the car' does NOT, IMHO, mean the date it was complied. I would also think you'd be in pretty deep water advertising a car in that way.

When I buy a car I look at the build year. When I sell a car I use the build year. If the rego sticker says it is a 2006 car no amount of "compliance" conversation will tell me it is anything else but a 2006 car. You can slap lipstick on a pig but it is still just a pig IMHO!

[Gti Dave]

It's not that uncommon.
Being an 07 it was probably amongst the first batch of cars Skoda Australia ordered and was left sitting in a customs bond yard at Patricks for a couple of years until you purchased it. The compliance plate date would be when it left that bond yard. The importer doesn't have to pay duties and taxes until the car leaves bond which is why they are sometimes left there when sales are slow. It would also make it easier to put the cars back on a boat and send them to the UK if Skoda Australia bombed.
From a resale point of view a dealer will only look at the compliance date because that is the date that is important (I did this for 10 years in three countries and I have valued and purchased thousands of used cars at dealerships). There may be a small deduction for for example an 06 build 08 compliance car but when it hits the used car yard the form on the windows says 08 not 06.
Having said that and I have sold at least one car I can remember in exactly the same position as you describe professionally I made sure that the purchaser was aware of the situation before they signed up and there was a clause written on the contract where the purchaser acknowledged that they knew the dates. Generally a small cash incentive is enough to overcome any fears on the part of the purchaser.
Legally you probably have no comeback unless you can prove that somebody lied to you or deliberately mislead you but I guess that probably doesn't stop you making a fuss.

Thanks K1W1, I guess getting it much cheaper than anywhere else advertised definately helps with any initial heartache. From what you're confirming about things being based on compliance date and not build year, there's no dispute with the dealer then since they advertised it as '09 which is what the complaince plate states.

[brad]

mine is a Sept 2007 build & complied July 2008. I received a fairly good discount because it was an '07 plate being sold in 2008.

If it wasn't important then why do car places have those "end of year runout" sales & give bigger discounts on the previous years stock.

I'll almost guarantee that when I go to trade-in, the valuer will try & lowball me because it's an '07

[TRIVETT]

When the $ drops the B------t stops

None of us were there @ the time to listen & judge
After 34 yrs in this business I always tell & write in contract compliance & build so as no grief later
" Less stress is Best "
& " No pay no play "
but have no doubt ,
In a yard full of cars & choices the guy who writes the cheque is the FINAL decision maker & whatever he signed for grabbed his fancy @ the time.
Noone coerced him to choose what he chose.
I think it is our job as salesman to give the buyer all alternatives & scenarios & stand back & let them decide what suits them best.
As a car salesman I probably think of unquestioned scenarios as I deal with daily & I make sure the buyer is aware of things they have not even thought of,
" CARS are my income, my passion & my life "
same as I told architect last week> you know things about houses & rules that I don,t know even exist but as a paying client I hope you lay all scenarios & hazards on the table in front of me " that is what I am paying you for " , so I can make a decision as good as I can in circumstances,
All my clients come back reguarly & in the end as my mother told me
" Sticks & Stones will break your bones but the Truth will never hurt you "
& I agree

[Gti Dave]

I guess it's what we all assume and hope that sales people are as honest as you say u are. But unfortunately there are some out there who like to play or act dumb or don't get with the program and don't do things the exact way they should and either purposefully or accidentally negate the need to tell customers things otherwise to make a sale. For example, on the sales contract I noticed they did not write down the build date and left it blank. Instead only writing down year of first rego being 2009.
On the day of pick up, the sat nav map cd wasn't given and he said he was adamant the car was not optioned with sat nav. Of course I had to prove him wrong without being smart.
Funny how it's always the one time that I say to myself to relax and trust others that these things happen. Also the first time I go and buy an ex-skoda executive driven car and not brand spanking new. Dealers can argue that it was my fault for being lax and not checking myself prior to signing the contract and i admit it was to a degree my fault for being trusting of them but it is the dealers responsibility to inform customers of all details on the forms and contracts and through discussion of the said car and not leave crucial things like is out.
Anyway all is in the past and I'm still a very happy owner of a skoda Octavia rs regardless. Just might not buy another one from the same place unless I get the next one brand spanking new and for a steal of a deal

[K1W1]

If it wasn't important then why do car places have those "end of year runout" sales & give bigger discounts on the previous years stock.

Marketing.
Make people believe that they are getting a deal and encourage potential buyers into the showrooms without devaluing the product overall. As a manufacturer you can justify a discount on "last years model" but you have a riot from previous buyers if you suddenly announce a "new lower price" on the same car you were selling at higher prices last month.
The other thing that is importantant is that the discounted cars are always built and plated last year. Any that were built last year and plated this year are never included in the discount.

[idaho]

Marketing.
...The other thing that is importantant is that the discounted cars are always built and plated last year. Any that were built last year and plated this year are never included in the discount.

I have to disagree with that statement. My current car (not a VW) was 2007 build, 2008 plate, bought 2008 for a substantial discount over the 2008/2008 scenario. Also the 2007 and 2008 models were the same, no major updates or model changes, etc.