Last March of this year, I purchased my Ford Ranger from one of our local dealers and since it takes months here in our country to get our plates and registration papers, it was only recently that I noticed that the year model on my registration papers indicated 2010, even if all my transaction paperwork with my Ford dealer was for a 2011 Ford Ranger. So I started investigating, which was partly why I discovered this forum, and found that I can verify year model through my vehicle's VIN. Which basicaly is just by looking at the 10th position of my VIN. (9 = 2009, A = 2010, B = 2011 and etc.), sadly mine indicated a letter A.

I confronted my dealer and was told it was purely a paperwork error by our local DMV (aka LTO, Land Transportation Office), and when I presented them my investigation on the VIN, they gave a couple of run-arounds such as:

1. VIN is not accurate
2. Year in the VIN is manufactured year
3. I fall under the cut-off date that some 2010 are also 2011 models
4. There are delays in shipping and customs clearance (our Ranger's are made in Thailand)

I further investigated and found that other Ford owners have the same experience, but they never realized it since their registration papers were showing their vehicles as being 2011 models even if their VIN are showing their units as 2010 models. This is not isolated to our asian version Ranger, since I also found out that Ford Philippines were selling 2004 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer as 2005 and the owner that I got to talk to only realized it when he was trying to order online using his VIN.

I am now realizing that us in the 3rd world country are being sold vehicles that can be a year model older than it really is. As opposed to when I was still living in Guam that we were getting next year models as early as the last quarter of the current year.

I just wan't to know if these things also happen in other countries? or basicaly if the VIN states that it is the previous year model, that it is still being legaly sold as a current year model, presuming there were no changes on the vehicle on both years? or if you purchase a next year model on the current year does the VIN indicate it as a next model year even if it was manufactured on the current year?

I believe have have seen a member or two on here state they have 2011, but the vehicle was manufactured in 2010. They state (I believe this is how it went) it WAS manufactured in 2010, but it IS the 2011 model

My 2000 Ranger was bought on Dec 30th 1999...

__________________
2000 Extended Cab XLT 2WD
3.0 V6 Flex Fuel...Pioneer Deck w/ Pink LCD screen....Mustang Dome with LEDs Thanks BuggMan!
Needs installed:Explorer OHC with Green LEDs

mine was made in late 03, and its an 04 model

__________________
http://treadlightly.org/quick-tips-f...four-wheeling/

Mine was made in late 02 and is an 03

__________________
2014 Ford Focus SE
2003 Ford Ranger XL Silverstar ultra headlights, Dual Exhaust 3.0 V6 LED light bar between tailgate and bumper.

Mine was made in 00 and its an 01

__________________
01 Ranger XLT 4.0 Auto stepside 4wd
MODS: K&N drop in with silencer removed, throttle cable mod, HID 6000k, dual exhaust, euro tails, stock rims with 265/75r16 Enduro runway M/Ts (winter tires), bucket seats, center console, and black plastic inside, white gauges, 2 P.Miller 12s with 2 800 watt Pioneer amps, Kenwood deck and Kicker 6x8 in front and pioneer 6x8s in the rear(soon to match the front)

If they are manufactured after July, normally they are considered the next model year.

__________________
Krylon Fusion is for Amateurs.

Great that you guys have that, while here it is the complete opposite, a 2010 model being sold as a 2011 model compared to you guys that can get the 2011 models as early as 2010.

----------

Would the VIN indicate it as the next year's model?

Mine is a very early '03. (Aug. '02) And VIN says '03.

__________________
Dale

2003 XLT Ext Cab. 3.0 2wd. Auto. Current driver.
1996 XLT Reg Cab. 2.3 2wd. Manual. My 1st Ranger.

An expert is someone who knows everything about something they've never done before.

i have an October '10 and its a 2011

__________________
Dave K
2011 Ford Ranger 4x4 Sport 4.0L "Dixie"
Rancho Suspension/Auto/3.73's/Pinstriped/Flowmaster SS Exhaust.

FUTURE: 3' Body Lift/32's/Windshield Visor/Brush Guard.

The following information came from wikipedia.com -- "One consistent element of the VIS is the 10th digit, which is required worldwide to encode the model year of the vehicle. Besides the three letters that are not allowed in the VIN itself (I, O and Q), the letters U and Z and the digit 0 are not used for the model year code. Note that the year code is the model year for the vehicle". However, I did find conflicting info. that countries outside North America could deviate a little. I'm not sure what the big deal is since people buy a car style, and style's typically don't change that much year to year. My 08' that I bought in 07' is the same style as the 09's. I don't really care how the VIN or paperwork is written up (as long as everything turns out O.K. -- my vehicle being legal and not stolen). On a side note, my grandparents sold me an Escort they bought that was listed as a 1988 1/2 hatchback, but because vehicles can't have a decimal year -- the insurance company listed it as an 89' and not an 88'. This also has to do with older vehicles being rolled out in late summer like Sept. -- now vehicles can be rolled out any-time, I think, however, I was recently reading about automobiles and year determination. The calendar year has to be followed, so a vehicle manufactured after 12/31/11, for instance, can not be called an 11' model year. Hope this helps.

I wouldn't have minded what the actual year model is, for as long as it's the exact vehicle I chose, and was properly informed on the accurate model year of the vehicle I was purchasing. The problem I have is all throughout the whole purchasing process, they always referred to it as a 2011 model, then when the registration papers came out, it was even me who discovered that it was a 2010. If I knew I was buying a 2010 model (on March of 2011), I would have at the very least asked for better discounts, since I will be in the loosing end when the time comes I need to sell my vehicle which will become a year older than it really is.

It sounds to me like you are giving a lot of people in your city grief for nothing. All cars made after the 7th month of a year are considered next year models. Not just for Ford, but for most all models. That's why they sell 2011 models in October and November of 2010 for instance. It has to be built, and shipped, and sold...... it doesn't just appear on the lot. What you need to do is enjoy your truck.

We are starting to work on 2012 model cars at the shop. I had a pair of headrests come in from a 2012 Ford yesterday that got new covers.

__________________
Krylon Fusion is for Amateurs.

They registered my vehicle as 2010, not 2011 as it should be. Would you be happy if that happens to you?

So the VIN is indeed not accurate? Since the VIN states that my unit is a 2010 and not 2011.

I am enjoying my truck, but of course like any cars I have own, it won't be a lifelong possesion and will be sold some time in the future and the 1 year difference in the year model will make a difference in the selling price.