What year Is it

[Rene T]

I happen to see a trailer on the side of the road for sale today. A posting in the window said it was a 2018 but I looked at the Vin sticker on the side and it said ?Manufactured 3/27/17. So what year Is it?

 

[Joezeppy]

Remember when the new models came out in October? Gets earlier and earlier every year. I think the manufacturers toss a coin as to when their model year changes. Our current rig is a 2017 but we took delivery in April 2016.

 

[Rene T]

Remember when the new models came out in October? Gets earlier and earlier every year. I think the manufacturers toss a coin as to when their model year changes. Our current rig is a 2017 but we took delivery in April 2016.

What date is on the sticker?  Does it say 2016?

 

[Larry N.]

I'd expect the VIN to control it, in a trailer, unless they purchase chassis in bulk like for motorhomes. In a motorhome, the manufacturer's statement has to control because they may have a 2017 chassis for a unit built in 2018, or even for 2019, which is the vehicle's "birth" date.

 

[jhskick1]

Mine is a 2015 sticker says 2014.

 

[RoyM-WO]

When was it registered? It may not have been sold until 2018

 

[NY_Dutch]

The final manufacturer sets the model year that's used on the Certificate (or Manufacturer's Statement) of Origin irrespective of the actual manufacturing year. The CO or MSO is effectively the first title that's assigned to the vehicle until it's replaced with a state issued title by the first retail purchaser.

 

[lynnmor]

The RV/MH hall of fame museum has a Chevrolet based unit that shows a date older than the chassis date.  ???

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

As Dutch says, the vehicle model year is whatever the final manufacturer assigns in the MCO.  This is established by federal law and not subject to debate or interpretation. If the vehicle is manufactured in stages, the VIN may be assigned before the final stage and be out of sync with the model year established in the MCO.

 

[NY_Dutch]

The RV/MH hall of fame museum has a Chevrolet based unit that shows a date older than the chassis date.  ???

It's not common, but it can happen. Let's say I'm still building my 2010 model year motorhomes to fill an order backlog in June 2010, and I've received an order of new 2011 model year chassis to finish them. The motorhomes will be 2010 titled as the buyer expects, but the chassis VIN will show 2011. More commonly of course, would be the 2010 titled motorhomes that are built on a 2009 model year chassis.


I'll add that the model years where that model year mismatch happened most commonly, were 1997 model year motorhomes built on Ford's F53 chassis. The majority were built on a 1996 chassis, but a few were built on 1998 model year chassis made in mid 1997. There were no 1997 F53 chassis built as Ford was converting over from the 460 V8 engine and E40D transmission to the Triton V10 engine and 4R100 transmission along with a number of other chassis improvements.

 

[Joezeppy]

What date is on the sticker?  Does it say 2016?

Had no idea...just checked...4/6/2016