Date of Manufacture

[juggernaut]

Guys, do you know that according to BMW Malaysia, for all new CBU cars it brings into Malaysia, the declared dates of manufacture in the dates when the cars reach Malaysian ports? I find this appallingly misleading.. For example, let's say a car was made in 2002 in Germany and remained unsold in Germany until Dec 2004. Then, BMW Malaysia decided to import it into Malaysia and it arrives in Port Klang March 2005. So, BMW Malaysia will declare this car as having year of manufacture of 2005. So, an unsuspecting buyer would buy the car thinking he's got the latest model with all the technical updates/upgrades that BMW always does every couple of years during the typical 7-year life of a model.I can't believe this, but this was what BMW Malaysia folks are telling me! Sounds eerily like Ming Heng to me..

 

[NumberTWO]

"declare".... Meaning that's what we are going to see in the registration card, or what/how? Can't we use the VIN to verify..Unless they alter the VIN too upon arrival!? Clarification needed..

 

[juggernaut]

"declared" means what is stated in registration card, AP docs, import docs, etc., everything. One can only figure out the actual production date from checking the VIN against the ETK/TIS CD-ROM. But BMW says it doesn't matter when/what the actual production date is. What matters in Malaysia is the date of arrival in Malaysia. That's what interpreted as "tahun dibuat" in the registration card. This applies to all new CBU cars as per Malaysian law..

 

[ALBundy]

Malaysia Boleh! So seems like Ming Heng is just following what BMW Malaysia is doing. HAhahahaha..Bravo!

 

[Daredevil]

Speaking of year of manufacture, I guess some of us learnt something interesting during the last leather seat clinic at CarbiDeco. While they were removing the fabric from my seats, there's an imprint underneath the cushion/sponge/foam which states the year of manufacture of the seats which directly means the year of manufacture of the car as well. Of course that's through the hard way lah....ekekek...nevertheless, it's one sure way to verify.

 

[ALBundy]

You can also check your meter. Its also printed there!

 

[///QuickSilver]

can also check it from your seat belt..

 

[juggernaut]

the point i'm trying to make is you can easily get misled when you buy from AB or Cartrade any CBU cars with respect to date of manufacture. Surely not many people would bother checking that based on the VIN when they buy from AB and Cartrade.. I found out when I went to AB showroom and jotted down the VINs of their cars and checked back the dates of manufacture in the internet.. Was really surprised to find out what I did. I contacted BMW Malaysia and was advised accordingly, as per what I wrote earlier.

 

[walrus_lord]

for CBU cars it is easy to identify the manufacturing date - VIN check on the serial number..

for CKD cars it is a little more difficult; the serial number is a more simple one which does not reflect the one like i have on my car (WBAAZxxxxx....) - for example they could have assembled the car in mid year 2004 and only manage to sell it in year 2005; but declare it as a year 2005 manufactured car in the registration card.

My car is a CBU 318i and was made in Oct 2002. It arrived in Malaysia shore in end January 2003 and when i registered it, it showed as 2002 manufactured date, registered 2003....

 

[c-square]

Hmmm.. DD, Al, QS. I thought the seats, meters, seat belts etc are just individual components of a car and are manufactured by different OEM and supplying them to BMW for assembling into the car? As such wouldn't these components have different dates stamped on them indicating when the respective OEM manufacturer produced them? The manufacturer may as well bulk manufacture the components, store them for a while before sending them to BMW for assembling at different times.

 

[Daredevil]

c-square,

Good analogy. Based on your statement, one should feel safe to assume that IF the parts are manufactured, say in end 1997, the car should be manufactured that year if not newer.....hahaha...right?

 

[Stranger]

Originally posted by Daredevil@Jan 27 2005, 11:42 PM
c-square,

Good analogy. Based on your statement, one should feel safe to assume that IF the parts are manufactured, say in end 1997, the car should be manufactured that year if not newer.....hahaha...right?

This is misrepresentation! :angry:

The dates shown on the parts may not necessarily mean the car's birth. I have some printed 2002 or 2003 in some parts when the car is actually newer than that.

Try this using your VIN to verify your date of manufacturing. A lot of people complained it was not accurate but it was for me and a few others. I think the problem was for those that didn't work their cars were too new. The current site stated accurate to ETK 10/04. So I think 09/04 cars may not be listed yet.

http://www.bmw-z1.com/VIN/VINdecode-e.cgi

Just key in the last 7 characters/digits literally as appeared in your VIN.

But not sure if it will work for CKD. I would think so since they are still BMW cars.

 

[ALBundy]

As per what Mr. JungleNuts said, its not about the VIN identification but the practice of allowing a car/vehicle's manufacturing date to be manipulated to enhance the car's value and also make is easier to sell (loan period can be longer I think). And it is endorsed by JPJ as well??

 

[Stranger]

Originally posted by ALBundy@Jan 28 2005, 11:07 AM
As per what Mr. JungleNuts said, its not about the VIN identification but the practice of allowing a car/vehicle's manufacturing date to be manipulated to enhance the car's value and also make is easier to sell (loan period can be longer I think). And it is endorsed by JPJ as well??

But as a consumer, it pays to check things up oneself; especially when we know there is such a misleading practice.

 

[ALBundy]

Well, I think as JungleNut said, he has called up AB and it "seemed" this practice is "approved" by the relevant authority.

At the end of the day, consumers unaware of this "practice" will be caught in a dilemma later, whilst those who are aware will have to make a decision on whether to go ahead with the purchase.

Thanks, junglenut for bringing this up

 

[Stranger]

That's why we need good forums to share information.