Production date ?
 

I'm currently looking into purchasing a "2005" 4.8is but the production date is 10/2004 that I verified from the vin. The seller states the car is an 05 but is it really ? I understand that in order to have a car in January 2005 a car must be produced in 2004, but a whole two months ? Were there any changes from the 04 to 05 models ? What year do you value the vehicle ?

Thanks

It varies by manufacturer and year of production, but generally September was the rule for most. Some BMW models came out with the following year's model in March of the previous year. An October 2004 build is a 2005 model. It is valued as a 2005 model. Nothing significant changed from 2004 to 2005 as I recall, the big change was for the 2004 model year.

Actually, with the 4.8is wasn't that when the facelift was introduced? Or was it "mid-2004" MY?


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Ditto what ha already been said. The build date and model year can be different and for early build models...usually is.

Historically in the USA, September has traditionally been the debut month for the new model year...but sometimes new model year rollouts can occur early. For example, due to OBD II mandates...the e39 debuted in the USA as a 1997 model year...but they hit the market in June/1996. The 2000 e39 model year also started early in June 1999 as BMW dumped the 3 speed auto tranny 528i models...then upgraded the 528 auto trannys to the 5 speed STEPTRONIC starting in September 1999. The 1999 e38 model year was truncated & ran from 9/98-4/99...with the 2000 e38 model year starting in April 1999.

To accomodate the difference in build date versus official model year...the US DOT requires that the 10th digit of the VIN indicate the official model year. So if you are suspicious...you can always check that digit to know what the official model year is regardless of build date. See chart below:

Just wanted to update this thread. Mine was manufactured in europe on 22/11/04 so you would probably say it is a 2005 model. However, for the 10th digit of the VIN it is listed as 0 (zero) so I am not sure what that means.

BMW just started taking orders now for 2025 model year x5s, to be delivered in May. Not sure what the zero means.

VIN numbers and production year changes
 

In the US, model years do follow a specific pattern, with one year's production closing out usually a couple of months prior to the "big reveal" of the new models in September. At least, that was the way it was done back in the day, but maybe not so much, now.

Some models were introduced later, due to production delays ('70 1/2 Camaro), and once the production delay was so bad, they skipped a model year (there were no '83 Corvettes sold). And, there were parts continued from one year to another (cylinder heads made in 1965 on my '66 Chevelle), and parts made for the following model year were used on late-production previous model year cars (my '66 Chevelle, built in July '66. had a '67 rear axle assembly...improved spring perches...). There are many other examples, but I'm an old-school Chevy gut....

As for European VIN numbers, there seem to be different coding standards, at least prior to the EU, so you'd have to use a VIN decoder specific for European cars. Perhaps this one: https://coceurope.eu/vin-decoder-vehicle/

Just as an added data point. The production date can be way off from model year.

Our 2006 530xi wagon (10th digit is a "6") was built 2005-05-18 (Wednesday).

Don't forget matching VIN or special VIN depending upon order

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Thanks Work, but that search link gave me an explanation mark(!) in position 10 and told me the plant was in the US…smile