Model year?

[richmurphy]

I picked up what is supposed to be a MY13 gti today only to find the rego sticker reads "2012 VW". When I was looking to buy the vehicle last week, I was assured 3 times by the salesman that it was indeed a MY13. He even produced some paperwork and pointed to the last 2 numbers which seemed to indicate it was a 13 model. I called up a vw mechanic that I know and he said to check the sixth character on the chassis number - a D would indicate my13. It checked out and it has a build date of June 2012 but the D was there (I heard somewhere that vw start building a model year from week 22 so it would be a very early build).

So does anyone know how to definitively check the model year? I'm hoping it could just be an admin error...

[Tobes_WIR35]

Sounds legit. MY doesn't necessarily reflect build date. There's no way a car built in Germany in 2013 would be here yet, given that it's only January 9

[LunchboxVRS]

Does it have detroits? (Black and polished mags)

[idaho]

The 10th digit of the 17 digit VIN should be D for a 2013 model.

[richmurphy]

Does it have detroits? (Black and polished mags)

No it doesn't but I haven't heard anything about my13 coming std with Detroit's.

[Lemonskin]

Just because its built in 2012 doesn't mean it's not a MY13.

[Boisrael]

It's right the 10th digit in the vin should be a D.

It is in mine still yet to pick up however has a build date of October 2012 and 10th digit of vin has a D.

18 inch Detroits not standard I added it as an optional extra

[LunchboxVRS]

My bad though it was in the polo section. Disregard my last.

[minke]

can I ask, do you know when your car landed in the Melbourne port? a boat docked there on the 27th Dec. Curious if your car was on that boat. (tongala)

[richmurphy]

The 10th digit of the 17 digit VIN should be D for a 2013 model.

Yes you're right. It was the 10th, not the 6th as I stated above.

Thanks for your replies. It sounds like it's possibly an admin error and I can't tell you how relieved I feel... although it might be a battle with vicroads to correct but that's another matter.

[Tobes_WIR35]

It will be registered by the compliance/build date so it will still show as being a 2012 model for all rego purposes.

[pologti18t]

Model year has nothing to do with the rego label.

When it comes time to sell its the build date that is used to value the car. The build date is 2012

[richmurphy]

can I ask, do you know when your car landed in the Melbourne port? a boat docked there on the 27th Dec. Curious if your car was on that boat. (tongala)

I saw it on the showroom floor around that date so it almost certainly wasn't on that boat. All I know is the build date is the date when the engine and the chassis are bolted together and that was mid June in my case. I have no idea how long the rest of the build or how long it would kick about in Germany before catching the boat over here.

I take it you've got a car on that boat?

[LunchboxVRS]

It probably says 2012 cause that's the year it would have been complied in Australia.

[richmurphy]

Model year has nothing to do with the rego label.

When it comes time to sell its the build date that is used to value the car. The build date is 2012

Most valuations that I've seen are based on model year rather than build date. My understanding is that car manufacturers start building the next model year around June so they hit dealerships by September. People are happy to buy a 2012 model in October 2012 but expect discounts on last years car come Jan 2013.