I guess I'm odd man out. My 10th digit is '4' on an '04 production date

Well, I just found the answer to the digit which confirms QSilver from wikipedia lol

The North American implementation of the VIS uses the 10th digit to encode the model year of the vehicle. Besides the three letters that are not allowed in the VIN itself (I, O and Q), the letters U and Z and the digit 0 are not used for the model year code. Outside North America the 10th digit is usually 0. But it still doesn’t give me an answer on model year.

I was always under the impression that ALL e53 models were produced at the Spartanburg plant in the USA. Later X5 models were produced in other locations (Russia, Thailand, India etc.) but not the e53. :confused:

So talljames, where WAS your e53 produced? :dunno:

Yes, that is correct Spartanburg, USA / BMW AG. Maybe it depends on what market it is made for. Then again I am only going on the reference off wikipedia but it does seem to have some decent references at the bottom of it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicl...%20usually%200

I suspect that is our key.

What would be Intersting AF is to check the VIN on that smooth top '06 manual from the Craigslist thread. Might answer some questions.

Edit:

And looky there:

The VIN from the add is 5UXFA13516LB09998

A '6' on a smooth top! W in the actual F? :wow:

Weren't all E53s including RHD built in the US (Spartanburg SC) or Mexico (Toluca MX)?

I think the Mexico plant was only involved in the armored mods to the e53 security version (adding to an already built vehicle).

So, reading in other forums it is likely 0 represents a car built for European delivery that is imported to Australia instead. This still does not confirm my year of car. I think I am pretty confident it would be labeled as a 2005 given my build date so close to the end of the year.

It would be an '05 in the US. I can also offer that my May and July 2004's are '04 builds. It seems like I remember hearing that September production is considered when the model years 'flip' in the US.

Edit:

Yeah.. Now I know where I read it. Right above! :rofl:

LOL @ the OP not popping back in with the VIN.

My 2006 4.8is also has a 10th digit of "6"

But here's yours talljames.

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