I have a 996 C2 on order (Sept. Build Date) which will be delivered in November.

Question is: at what point is a car considered the following years build versus model year?

Example... in my case, will my car be considered a MY2004 even though its build year is 2003 - due to the order guides being dated 2004 model when I ordered the vehicle.

If that is the case then what happens, say if the model/design does not change from 2003 and you say, receive a car in 2005 - would that car be classed as a MY2003 or a MY2005 even though the model had not changed?

Hope the question is not too confusing...

Costas

 

a bit confusing...most car makers begin their model year just like the school year: in September....

 

I can add to the confusion by telling you that I ordered my 2004 C4S on 4/28/2003, it was built on 7/9/2003 and I took delivery on 9/15/2003. Hope that helps!
Ciao

 

Hmmm..Interesting about the school year.

I'm from Australia (our school years begin in January) and I'm suprised that the beginning of the school year has a bearing on model years for car manufacturers.

I do know that the Porsche factory which produces 911's shuts down in August and restarts in September - so maybe that is they key?

 

I just mentioned school year as an example...It has nothing to do with MY.
You are correct in the Porsche shutdown restart however, this year some 04 models were delivered (Cayennes and 996s) before the summer shutdown!!

 

What if your held back a year?

 

Depends I guess... My 1999 996 was built in 2/98. My 04 GT3 was built in 7/03. I would think a September 03 build would net you a 2004 model. Take a look at your paperwork, it should say there.

 

The Porsche factory typically closes for most of the month of August, so in most years, cars built before the close down are model year X (the same as the current calendar year) and those after are model year X + 1. There are exceptions, for example when the 996 turbos were released, they were MY01 and first produced in the first quarter of 2000. My '04 Carrera completed production July 22 (just got my certificate of authenticity!)--this year they started the new model year before the factory close down.

The manufacturers have some flexibility in designating model years, and although September is the norm, you'll often see a new model released well before that with a model year of calendar year + 1.

 

Last year, my July build Boxster was to be an '03, so the shutdown is probably just a rule of thumb.

Truth be known... its all arbitrary, varying by manufacturer, model, and year. I'm sure there are good decisions 'why' they do it - sales volumes, order allocations, factory tooling, supplier changes, parts updates, etc.

$0.02

 

Porsche makes a few cars in July before the shut down so the dealers can have them to show customers.

The Cayenne was strange. Saw my first 2004 at my dealer in April or May. Jeff

 

I suspect it's manufacturer that makes this decision. VIN encodes MY, so they file it with DMV
I have seen different manufacturers change it any which way they like it

 

Thanks for the info guys.

I did not realise the MY is actually encoded into the VIN - I just assumed the build date was...

Still to receive my first ever Porsche in November, so I am still a novice on some topics....

Costas