Torino101 Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 This might sound a bit odd - but how can I find the history of a car that has never been registered? Just to explain - my father is looking at buying a car that has never turned a wheel - i.e technically new and will have a '56 plate when it is registered at the beginning of September. However due to a very long story the car was manufactured in some time between 2001 and 2003 - the dealer is very vague as to exactly when.... This has made the car a deal to buy - but before signing on the dotted line I want to know when it was made. The Dealer originally said 2003 but now he is ummming and aarrhhhing, I have the VIN number of the car - but any online checks I seem to do come back as unrecognised. Probably because the car has no history as such and there is no record of the car. How can I find out when it was made?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustynuts Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 Contact the manufacturers direct and give them the vin. Or go to another dealer and explain that you want some info about Xxxxxxxx car and when it was built. Imply that they'll get the job of servicing it if they can help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonl Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 Can we ask what the car is??? VW have a good logging network, but TBH, i'm not sure if even they would have VIN info going back to 2001. IIRC by law, i thought cars had to be registered within a set period of time, or be put on a Q plate. Surely a car built in 2001 couldn't be classed as 'brand new' could it? I might be completely wrong though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterS Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 You could try a Google search on [manufacturer] + VIN + Decoder to see if there's one on the net for the make of car in question. I've just managed to decode the BMW VINs, though not the Megane... hth Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_C Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 Simple resin injected plastic parts that are used throughout the car are often date stamped. This is how I established the [approximate] age of dads car, an import that went from the factory in France to Ireland to a car supermarket in England. When he got it home, I pulled the cigarette / change draw out, and it was stamped 09 99 on the back, similar to this but with month-year instead of day-month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterS Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 [ QUOTE ] ...IIRC by law, i thought cars had to be registered within a set period of time, or be put on a Q plate. Surely a car built in 2001 couldn't be classed as 'brand new' could it? I might be completely wrong though [/ QUOTE ] I believe that as long as its not been registered, a car built in 2001 car could still be given a 56 plate; I've seen a few 06 registered Rovers even though production ended 18 months ago (and given the huge stockpiles of cars when the company folded, it wouldn't surprise me if some cars in storage were already a year old at that point in time...) Q plates always used to be assigned to imported cars where the age of the car could not be proved at the time of UK registration, or for kit cars built from used parts. Not sure if this has changed or not though Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R32North Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 Tyres are also marked when they were made, which may help in determining the rough date of manufacture.... tyres are month / year stamped, its in code but Google will tell you what the code means. Edit: Also, if the car is that old, then new tyres are a must as it illegal to sell tyres that are over two years old, so in effect the dealer will be selling tyres that are past theu 'sell buy' date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torino101 Posted August 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Can we ask what the car is??? [/ QUOTE ] Its a BMW 330Ci M Sport. With regards the tyre issue - it has brand new Pilot Sports fitted as it was the first thing complained about was the potential age of the tyres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterS Posted August 18, 2006 Report Share Posted August 18, 2006 I've run our BMS through BMW VIN decoder , and it seems to work. Production date of the 5 was 11/05, which is right as it was delivered in December 05, and for the one 1 produced 04/06, delivered 05/06 I'm surprised a dealer let a 330Ci hang around for that long though hth Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonl Posted August 18, 2006 Report Share Posted August 18, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Can we ask what the car is??? [/ QUOTE ] Its a BMW 330Ci M Sport. With regards the tyre issue - it has brand new Pilot Sports fitted as it was the first thing complained about was the potential age of the tyres [/ QUOTE ] A facelifted model (2003) would determine whether it's older than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torino101 Posted August 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2006 It has the cut away "semi moons" in the front headlamps - which i assume means that it is NOT the facelifted model - hence it is definitely either early 2003 or earlier. I'm going to give BMW UK a call now and try to get some details out of them.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonl Posted August 18, 2006 Report Share Posted August 18, 2006 TBH, they both had semi moons (just facing different ways) early ones were arcing down, later ones were arcing up. The wheels, side indicator lenses (on the wings) and rear lights will also tell. But i also can't understand why a 330 Sport wouldn't have sold... what colour is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustynuts Posted August 18, 2006 Report Share Posted August 18, 2006 I bet it's pink! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torino101 Posted August 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2006 [ QUOTE ] TBH, they both had semi moons (just facing different ways) early ones were arcing down, later ones were arcing up. The wheels, side indicator lenses (on the wings) and rear lights will also tell. But i also can't understand why a 330 Sport wouldn't have sold... what colour is it? [/ QUOTE ] The reason behind this - i.e why it hasn't sold - is that the car was ordered way back by a UK firm (along with various other BM's), and sizeable deposits were paid on all the cars. By the time the delivery of the vehicles was due the company who had ordered them was going into receivership!! (Fine time to be ordering fleets of BM's) The vehicles were put into storage until the issue could be rectified -(they have been fully waxed and sealed throught their lifespan so far)- and the long and short was that these cars never went to said company, but had had a substantial amount of money paid off against them. Consequently these cars became available but with this slightly strange history. Plus with the dealer willing to move them on at a pretty reduced rate as they had already received x amount of cash for them. So the car is not a funny colour, (Azure Blue), but does have a slightly funny provenance. p.s. Have just contacted BMW UK - the car was made in November 2002. So the Dealer is a lying b*stard, but suspect we might still take the car..... Everything else checks out with the car by the way. If and when the deal goes through i'll put up the figures - and you can tell me if you think we were robbed or not!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudson Posted August 21, 2006 Report Share Posted August 21, 2006 My biggest concern regarding this would be exactly where were all theses fully waxed and loved cars kept for 4 years, If you stored a car for 4 years without running it what effect would this have on some of the mechanics etc, just be very aware and i would do a little research on this time span issue and make sure all is well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torino101 Posted August 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2006 Well will soon find out if it is a dog or not - fingers crossed - as he's just bought it. To be delivered 2nd September so it'll be a '56 plate..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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