BUILD DATE

how ya going. im not sure if ya got a come back on the dealer or not cause there's a few tags on em. i got a 1991 patrol and on the tag on the firewall says built 04/91 but the tag on the left side of the radiator suport says built 01/91 ??? . i just looked in the manual and on the left of the firewall is the australian tag for the adr's which may be the date it landed. dut i'd see the dealer for sure. or the rta. cheers.

G'day Ian,
What is the claim you want to make against the dealer?

Cheers Moz

The compliance plate on the firewall is what they attach in Australia when the vehicle arrives and is inspected.
The "real" built date which represents when the vehicle was actually built (ie: for spare parts requests vehicle ID etc) is the plate in front of the radiator (for that model anyway).
The VIN number also has the date if you know how to decifer the code which is in workshop manuals etc.
For rego purposes your vehicle is 04 but in reality it is an 03.
They do it all the time, if you buy it mid year you will find that there is about a month difference which is the shipping /storage time but when it is December they wait so they can register them in the following year...
Good luck with your comeback if you decide to go back...
Will

Hi Silva
Without sounding too cynical I find that the latest date is the one the dealers use when they sell the vehicle and the oldest date is the one they refer to when you go to trade it in.
Ive has this exact argument when checking out a 4wd for my brother.
He bought it anyway and paid too much, just waiting to see bleep happens when he sells it.
Sorry I cant be more constructive than that but that seems to be how it is.
Maybe somebody can set us straight.

Nick

Sorry to say, but in resale terms you have effectively bought a one year old vehicle. When I buy a new car I always stipulate the build date required and it is written into the contract. You will need to review the contract you had but I suspect it is silent on the issue - if you had stipulated a 04 vehicle you might , maybe be able to justify in court. Then again you have the maufactures model year to further confuse issues - my Discovery was built in January 94, the engine in late 93 and other components much earlier, it is complianced in May 94 but it is a 95MY as far as the manufacturer is concerned.

Jeep had a major issue about 20 years ago where cars were sitting in holding yards for a couple of years but were being sold years later as new models by the dealers - some had already developed rust.

I would get some advice from consumer affairs before you go back to the dealer but you need to work out what you want - I guess some sort of refund of a few thousand $$$ will be about the best you can manage - the more difficult you can can make it for the dealer and Nissan while remaining completely civil will increase your chances. You need to convince them the bad press will not be worth it.

Good luck

I recived my new GU series 4 last month expecting and 05 build. Because I wanted the factory bonus of the 04 build and was told that there were no 04 left instock so no factory bonus I would have to have an 05 build. When the car was handed over to me after all extras ans pre del was done I checked the tag near the raidator and it said build Nov04. I spoke to the salesman about this and he said that it was complianced 05/05 which is what they go by. I still feel as though I was ripped off because I still feel that it is an 04build. He said if I like he would take that plate off because dealers go by the compliance plate year/month. IS this deceptive or what. Just shows it pays to have everything in writing.

Same thing happened to us.

We bought a 2000 model Discovery (03/00 complied) from Trivett Land Rover in Parramatta, but when time came to trade in, it was a 99 model (11/99 build). This is despite buying and trying to trade at the same dealer in the space of 12 months or so. It was the same salesman, for gawds sake! He was our best friend when selling the car, but an arrogant so-and-so when trading.

We told them to stick it, and went for a 800km the following weekend and got a real bargain on a Defender in Dubbo. Saved some $4000. We also delighted in calling into the dealership, and showing the salesman, and telling him about the trade in price. Poor guy had exactly the same model Defender in his yard, and had been there for at least 4 months (used to drive past and drool).

Lifes funny, aint it? I drive a Landcruiser now.....lol

Mate as Garycol said sorry to say that you have effectivly bought a one year old vehicle. I saw this alot when I was working in the motor trade. When you buy they go by the australian compliance when you trade they will go by the actual built date that it was put together in Japan or where ever it was imported from. They are a pack off a@@wholes for doing this to people I dont know how these scumbags sleep at night that is why I got out of the trade. The only real comback you may have is on the Purchase papers. If it is stated as being the year you thought it was eg 05 B/D you have a leg to stand on If it is written down on it as a 04 B/D and you have singed for it than I don't like your chances. I will try and get in touch with my old boss who used to do the stock control at toyota and see if I can get any further advice for you. Take Care Vitara

Got mine in QLD but still feel decieved and ripped off and will not buy at the same dealer again.

Hi Silva, actually just spoke to my old boss and he said when you trade it in or go to sell it it will be valued as an 04 the earliest date. He also told me now that when you buy a nissan, nissan will actually apply the australian compliance plate to the vehicle once it has been prchased so in other words if the b/d is 04 and the vehicle is sitting in a yard from say november 04 till november 05 they will actaully put an australian compliance plate of 11/05 on the vehicle which looks good but he said it would still be valued as an 04 if you went to trade it in. Sneaky bastards. He said nissan is the only importer to do this, and there is no law that can stop them doing it, he said toyota dont do it. Funny thing was the first thing he asked me was did he buy it from his dealership other wise probably would have got a different answer, covering there backsides. Take care Vitara

We bought our 04 in July and the dealer made it quite clear that we were purchasing an 03/04 build date vehicle. It was listed in the contract. Just keep your wits about you next time.
I don't think you have any comeback unless you want to try deceptive behaviour. Ring the ACCC and see what they have to say
Noel