Build date vs first reg

[MD]

True

[Cool Jesus]

I'm finding this little facet of automotive marketing annoying at the moment in my search for a 147 for my daughter. It doesn't help that Alfa's are commonly distinguished in its models by a number 147, 156 or a name. I'm racking my head over the 147 which had a facelift mid year in 2005, so I'm comparing pricing on two different looking 147s of the same release year? I've found that the vehicle's compliance date is what transport authorities use as the vehicles model year as this is actually its release date by the manufacturer. Build date is added for consumer information, cause we just like to know when it came off the factory floor.
If you look at it from the factory's perspective, you need to time the completion of a reasonable amount of vehicles to meet consumer demands. So it stands to reason to have XXXX amount of 2006 models completed and ready for shipping in 2005. If you start debating build date as the model year, is a December build any different to a January build? I'll also just add here, as some have already touched on it, when I sell a car I show it as my rego papers indicate (ie its compliance year). As a buyer I point out its build date and make a point of it during price negotiations.

[ANG156]

I'll also just add here, as some have already touched on it, when I sell a car I show it as my rego papers indicate (ie its compliance year). As a buyer I point out its build date and make a point of it during price negotiations.

You're correct there Cool Jesus. However what if the car has been registered as a 2006 but compliance as a 2007? Then its obvious a 2006 model so one should pay 2006 value.

[Cool Jesus]

ANG, I think you'll find that here in OZ, compliance is its year model. So you'd have an '07 model.

It sounds like there may be some confusion here about terminology, as I can see from posts that they are being intermingled. My definitions are;
1. Build date - date vehicle came off production line at factory and manufacturerer label affixed
2. Compliance date - date vehicle was received in AUS by dealership/importer (such as ATECO or Alfa Romeo Australia, etc) and label affixed to show Federal ADR compliance. Vehicle can not be registered for road use until this label is affixed. I said release date in my earlier post, but its actually when it is received by the importer to sell on the market (usual pre-ordered for a customer). You'll find compliance and registration dates are inveriable on the same day or at most a day apart. Worst case the dealer may be adding some aftermarket over priced dealer add-ons so the span may be longer(but this would be unusual).
3. Registration date - the day Cool Jesus purchased his 159 and registered it at the RTA 

PS... Just purchased an '02 147 for my little princess. Black over red leather, my mini Bella as the wife is calling it 

[aggie57]

ANG, I think you'll find that here in OZ, compliance is its year model.

You'll find compliance and registration dates are inveriable on the same day or at most a day apart. Worst case the dealer may be adding some aftermarket over priced dealer add-ons so the span may be longer(but this would be unusual).

Sorry but that's just wrong. 
I have a 1980 registered GTV sitting downstairs that was built in mid-1979 and has a compliance date of August 1979.  Registration and compliance can be months apart and neither makes any difference at all to the model year of the car. 
My 911 was built in August 2008, has a compliance of September 2008 and was registered in May 2009.  It is absolutely a MY09 car. 
My 105 GTV was manufactured on 14th November 1972, sold to ARA 1st December 1972 and was registered in 1973.  As far as VicRoads are concerned its a 1973 car. 

[Cool Jesus]

Ah ha, I've touched a cord with aggie here. You beat me to the punch on another term thats used for vehicles. I'll use my recent purchase as an example, Its a 2003 147 - MY2002. I'm assuming the MYxxxx is Manufacture Year? My question here is, is this 'MYxxxx' a build date, a compliance date or something else? My guess is that the 2003 147 is an '02 model run?

Aggie, your starting to talk of a vintage era, pre electronics and www. I did add that compliance and rego can be longer apart in date. Anyhow, lets follow your point with either the 911 or 105. Actual didn't some older 105s only have a build number? Back on point, 911 built '08, ADR complianced later in '08, however it isn't first registered until 2012. What's the year model? Is it a MY2012? As these dates near the end of a year or surparse the new year, I'll conceede that the manufacturer could very well have built the cars for sale as the new years model run (such as your 105).

Another point that may be determinative in what's my model year? Aren't manufacturer's required to submit homologation papers or similar paperwork to show the model characteristics and testing procedures to the Government they seek to import to in order to show ADR compliance? These papers would give VIN numbers that relate to the model. 

Actually as I've been carefully typing my words here, (its very easy to put noses out of joint I'm finding), the MYxxxx term si starting to sound like a model run to me. This could account for the time difference between compliance and registartion for aggie's 911. Or it just sat in the warehouse all that time cause no one was buying them ?

[aggie57]

I'm not upset in the least.  The internet is awash with misinformation. 

MY09 / MY2009 = Model Year 2009.  Standard industry jargon for a particular spec.  See   http://www.redbook.com.au/cars/research/Alfa-Romeo/147/2003 for your 147.

And yes, my 911 sat in the dealer for several months because nobody wanted a basic manual C2S.   More fool them.

[Cool Jesus]

Thanks aggie, its Model Year, makes sense.

Oh good, glad to hear I had n't ruffled any fears. I'm not up for upsetting anyone. Don't know if its just me, whether I've met the poster or not, I give their text a voice in my head and I try to get a feel of how the conversation is travelling. In doing this I also try to keep the replies short and to the point as much as I can. Anyhow, isn't that what they call destiny, that 911 was meant to be yours 

[wankski]

if yer askin' me, build date is all that counts...

i get the TV analogy, but it ain't TVs it's cars which are sensitive on MY...

that and dealers wouldn't be doing end of model year  'plate run outs' at the end of the yr, every yr, if it didn't matter.

[Steve S]

And I have the official answer!

I was watching Judge Judy and this came up. She asked what year, they guy responded it was an xx but built the year before. Judge Judy gave a disapproving glare and declared it was the "build year" and that was that, no more discussion was allowed!