[Motor_Nut]

Originally Posted by vishnurp99

Hi All,

However we checked the VIN and found that the date of Manufacture is April 2019. So now we are in a conundrum if we should accept this Harrier or not.

Any advice on this from senior BHPians would be really helpful. Thanks in advance.

Hey vishnurp99,

Generally speaking, a car rolled out from a plant 3-4 months ago should not be a deal breaker. But it will vary from car to car, if Harrier had a backlog/waiting period, then a 4 month old car would certainly raise eyebrows. An exhaustive PDI would be needed, also asking 75 % advance payment does not sound good.

Secondly, if possible, can you try finding from other dealership that cars being sold by them are manufactured recently or they are also selling cars which are manufactured 4-5 months ago. These days car makers keep on tweaking features silently, hard to tell in advance. And if you are hard pushed by the dealership to get this car, please go for a PDI at dealer's stockyard, don't give any verbal or written commitment yet. All the best .

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by vishnurp99

Hi All,
We are in a bit of catch-22 situation with a Tata Harrier that my brother is looking to buy.

A three month old car doesn't really fit the description of this thread where members typically consider cars almost up to a year old.

The delay seems to have happened because either the car allotted to you was given to someone else, or this variant + color combo was not on order by the dealership when you booked. But yea, Tata dealers are finicky about customers paying up 100% before they allot a car. Unless this car was used for demo/TDs, April manufacture is fine. Just do a thorough PDI.

As for what features this April-manufactured car might be missing out on, it's best you check the Harrier thread. Tata is notorious for deleting/tweaking features by variants on some cars; I'm not sure if the Harrier has been subjected to it as well.

[vinay_ss]

What are the aspects one would need to consider when buying a new unregistered car from a dealer which is about 18 months old ? The car has been used sparingly ..about 1300 Kms on the odo ( dealer says it has been used by the factory as a display car when it was brought in as a CBU in the first lot). I am getting a discount of close to 30 Lacs ( ex showroom is 1 cr). I have compared feature by feature of the old and new model and am aware of changes. I just want to understand the biggest concern areas so that I can discuss with dealer and be there for the PDI etc. I am getting a 5 year manufacturer warranty.

[visiondream3]

Need help with VIN : WDC1569086L011465

The model is Mercedes GLA 200 D

[bharathganesh]

Interesting thread.

Guys, need your opinion on buying a 2019 April manufactured Mahindra XUV 500, now in Oct, 2019. Dealer says car came to their yard sometime in July. Did a pre-delivery inspection and car seemed fine. It’s a dark shade, so worried about paint oxidation as well. Couldn’t decide on whether it has faded as it is difficult to compare unless you have a new car standing next to it.

Dealer hasn’t offered any additional discounts other than what is the ongoing discount provided by Mahindra at this time.

Please let me know your opinion and if anything specific has to be checked.

[ssenhyd]

Hi friends I need some advice on whether this is true.

I am in the market to purchase a new Honda Civic VX CVT petrol.
None of the dealers in Hyderabad had this specific variant in stock and informed me that once I completed booking they would order the vehicle from the factory and deliver.
I booked my car with the dealer providing the best cash discount in Hyderabad and specifically told him that I needed the car manufacturing date to be less than 3 months old (as is the advice in this forum).
My dealer informed me today that the car has been delivered and shared the VIN number. As per the VIN, the car is April 2019 manufacture - over 4 months old!!
On inquiring with the dealer, they shared that they are helpless as Honda is supplying cars this old!

meanwhile I have opened a case with Honda India asking them whether this is true.

Meanwhile can any of the informed forum members share whether this indeed can be the case or whether the dealer is pulling a fast one over me?
Any insight and suggestion would be very much appreciated.

[ssenhyd]

Originally Posted by ssenhyd

Hi friends I need some advice on whether this is true.

Followup: I have not heard back from Honda Cars India as yet. I had written to their customer relations and copied their India CEO.
The Pride Honda dealer is sharing helplessness that they have no control and no influence over the manufacturing date of a car shipped to them by the manufacturer.
They are sharing that even if they order a new car from the plant today, we might still end up with a 5 to six month old car.
I find it somewhat hard to believe and very much frustrating as i was expecting the car to be delivered in a day or two!.

I went ahead and cancelled my Honda Civic booking with pride Honda.

I inquired at 3 other dealers in Hyderabad, and none of them had fresh stock of Honda Civic (by fresh stock I mean less than 3 months old from manufacturing date) and none seemed even enthusiastic in getting a fresh one from the plant

With the above facts, is it then fair to conclude that Honda might have stopped manufacturing the car model Honda Civic?

Any BHPians any guidance on how to proceed?

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by ssenhyd

My dealer informed me today that the car has been delivered and shared the VIN number. As per the VIN, the car is April 2019 manufacture - over 4 months old!!

Any insight and suggestion would be very much appreciated.

Sorry but what’s your concern? It’s not something perishable that unless you consume in so many days or months it will get expired!

And 4 months! How does it matter at first place. And what about the engine on the new car that was manufactured say in Thailand and the gearbox in Japan many months ago. 3 months is average shipping time for any European or American CBU.

Nothing to get paranoid over such thing. Go ahead and pick your chosen car. I have personally bought brand new cars as large as 7 series after about 1-1/2 year of production. In mine case, since the time was very long, I got oil change done at 1000 Kms or so. Maybe you can also get the oil change done earlier and same for brake oil or any other oils that are to be changed as per time interval.

Since you have canceled the booking, if dealership tries to reconcile, ask for complimentary oil changes one time.

[ssenhyd]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Sorry but what’s your concern? It’s not something perishable that unless you consume in so many days or months it will get expired!

My concern is really whether the dealer is sharing the truth and instead trying to pass off a car with an old manufacturing date lying around in their stockyard with the resultant damages and wear as shared by other distinguished members in this thread.

My concern is why should one take such a chance or risk while paying good money purchasing a car? My aim being 10 years of ownership.

Second concern is around whether Honda has actually stopped manufacturing the car and passing off old stock.
In such a scenario is it even advisable to buy such a model as spares would be difficult to come by keeping in mind 10 years of ownership?

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by ssenhyd

a car with an old manufacturing date lying around in their stockyard with the resultant damages and wear

If you are sold out on the car and this particular dealership has given you the best offer, ask them the exact invoice date from the factory and visit their yard for a thorough PDI. Even if it's sitting there for a while, normally nothing happens unless there has been flooding or something at a larger scale in the vicinity.

My concern is why should one take such a chance or risk while paying good money purchasing a car? My aim being 10 years of ownership..

If they are asking you full price and other dealers carry a newer car than no reason I can think of But if they are trying to make a deal for you than absolutely no harm.

Second concern is around whether Honda has actually stopped manufacturing the car and passing off old stock..

They might not have stopped but given the current conditions merely adjusted the production. I think Honda dealerships still services and provide spares to the previous generation of Civics and beyond a certain year of ownership, resales are also similar. So a 10 Year old civic and corolla might cost the same. You can check the older generation civic thread or ask some of the guys who own one.

All the best for your purchase

[ssenhyd]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

If you are sold out on the car and this particular dealership has given you the best offer, ask them the exact invoice date from the factory and visit their yard for a thorough PDI. Even if it's sitting there for a while, normally nothing happens unless there has been flooding or something at a larger scale in the vicinity.

Finally some good news at last!

After much looking around my patience and diligence has paid off!
Was able to lay hands on a July manufactured Honda Civic ZX CVT that had arrived at the dealer from factory less than 15 days ago!
Added to that was able to negotiate a pretty decent discount too and close the deal!
Taking delivery tomorrow Saturday on Choti Diwali day .


Note from Support: Please quote only relevant sections of posts. Thank you!

[suv100]

A dealership in Kerala have a few unsold Vernas of 2017 and 2018 make. I was considering a 2017 model diesel sx(o) variant. Being a two year old model and the BS4 deadline coming up how much discount should I bargain for? I have not yet seen the vehicle but came to know that it is being kept in an enclosed shed well protected from the elements.

[Tom Sooraj]

We booked a Wagonr LXi ABS in October 2018, but got Wagonr LXi without ABS on 28th November 2018. (The change in the variant was due to our stupidity.
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/road-...ml#post4688506 (Is Maruti's announcement of Optional ABS & Airbags just on paper?))

We didn't do the PDI (because of the lack of awareness, but now, I'm aware) and didn't check the month and year of manufacture because of the faith we had in Maruti and their dealers.

They were doing well till the time we bought an Alto K10 in February 2018, which was manufactured in January 2018.

One day, I thought of decoding the VIN of the Wagonr, and found that the car was manufactured in August 2018. It was 3 months old during the time of delivery.

The saddest part is that I came across several issues with the Wagonr of which only some were rectified. The issues are mentioned in the above link. (And about the fuel economy:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techn...ml#post4670523 (Basic ECM Resetting))

And today, I suddenly got an idea of how the issues might have cropped up. During the time of delivery, the odometer showed only 8 kms. But it should have been more. The reason is that the distance from Maruti's stockyard to the RTO office is 3 kms, and from the RTO to their showroom is 11 kms, which gives a total of 14 kms. But the odometer showed only 8kms, which is making me suspicious. They could have used the car for some other purposes. But it was indeed our fault of not doing the PDI.

We bought the Wagonr to replace the Stingray which was getting older, but I think the reverse would happen because of the lack of peace of mind with the Wagonr.

[mail.jaiswal]

Experts,

Need your quick help. My friend is buying a Creta D Auto and he is being offered usual discounts being offered by Hyundai (upto 1.65 Lakhs) and exchange bonus as well.

My friend booked the car and made the payment. Now when the VIN was shared with him, the car is an Aug'19 manufactured Creta (which the dealership claimed was Dec'19 manufactured). when my friend confronted the dealership, they said that they had received the car only 7 days back.

Now my friend is worried about where was the car all this while. Is it normal for a car like Creta to remain in inventory for 4+ months? is there something that he needs to be worried about? What are the charges to be incurred by my friend if the booking is cancelled?

Please help. Link to the page where i got the VIN decoded - here (ARTICLE: Find your car's date of manufacture (VIN))

[SNGHPRKSH]

Hello Everyone,

I've pulled trigger on Ford Ecosport Trend variant and went to check the car in the stockyard today. Everything looked okay except the temp car paper sticker, which was faded and looked old. Though tyres and interior looked clean and it still had wrappers n foam pieces in the bumper & D pillar.
Upon checking the VIN, it shows March-2020 manufacture. Sales person said they got billed for this car few days ago and they just received this stock and there were low dispatches from the factory due to COVID-19 hence it could be an old mfg date.
.

Request your thoughts on -

1. Is it okay to proceed with this car?
2. What additional checks should I perform, I'm more concerned about the engine & body.