Build date (Month/year) from VIN?

[Motorin Mark]

Guys is there a way to fiqure out what month and year a M3 was built just by the VIN?

I have a friend looking at a some new ones and only has VIN's not the build dates that are on the door emblem so we are trying to fiqure out if they are 2011 or 2011.5 or 2011.75

Thanks.

[M3SQRD]

Go to realoem.com and key in the last seven digits of the vin and hit "search" (after hitting "enter" on the home page). After hitting "search" the "series", "body", "model", "region" and "prod month" info of the car will be filled in based on the vin.

[Motorin Mark]

Originally Posted by dbarnes

Go to realoem.com and key in the last seven digits of the vin and hit "search" (after hitting "enter" on the home page). After hitting "search" the "series", "body", "model", "region" and "prod month" info of the car will be filled in based on the vin.

Thank you but it says "error E699193 not found"

Any ideas?

[jphughan]

You can get it from the VO (which also lists the option code for everything on your car), but there's no easy way to access that. However, production month is listed on a sticker in the doorjamb, so if you're worried just check there (or ask for a picture of it if you're buying from a distance). If for whatever reason that's not possible, here's how to differentiate....

2011 from 2010: ZCP wheels would be a dead giveaway, otherwise if you're looking at a coupe the LCI tail lights didn't come to them until 2011. For a sedan, other than ZCP wheels I don't think there are any quick exterior differentiators between 2010 and 2011.

2011.5 from 2011: Having the Auto Start/Stop button under the stereo controls. I think the DSC Off button switched from having text to having the graphic with the word "Off" at this point, but that might have happened at 2011.75 instead, not sure. Also, if you see "Premium Package 2" or "Convenience Package" rather than "Premium Package" or "Technology Package", you have at least 2011.5 because that's when the packages changed.

2011.75 from 2011.5: The only new features for 2011.75 are Mineral White and BMW Apps, both optional and either of which would appear on a car's option sheet. Testing the presence of BMW Apps would require an iPhone with the BMW Connected app. Open the app, connect the phone to the car, and see if Twitter and Facebook appear in the ConnectedDrive area. Of course it's entirely possible to have a 2011.75 car with neither of those options, in which case it's exactly the same as 2011.5.

[M3SQRD]

Originally Posted by Motorin Mark

Thank you but it says "error E699193 not found"

Any ideas?

I know if I enter the vin for my '12 I get the same error because it was built in 09/11 but Realoem only has prod listed thru 08/11. However, if I key in the vin from my '09 I get the correct prod month/year. The only thing I can think of is if it has a prod month toward the end of '11 prod (say Jul or Aug) perhaps it's not in their database yet?

I know someone with an early '11 prod month. I'll get his vin, key it in and see what I get.

[MKE_M3]

interesting... I didn't know about these differances. I guess I have at least a 2011.5 since I have the auto start/stop. Not sure if any of the differances mentioned by jphughan would disuade me from a car I liked otherwise.

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by jdemetry

interesting... I didn't know about these differances. I guess I have at least a 2011.5 since I have the auto start/stop. Not sure if any of the differances mentioned by jphughan would disuade me from a car I liked otherwise.

Well since you only asked how to tell them apart, I didn't mention the other differences. 2011.5 includes Combox which brings with it Bluetooth audio streaming. I didn't think I'd ever use it out of concern for phone battery drain and audio quality, but it's turned out to be one of my favorite features. For shorter drives (like commutes/errands) the battery drain is negligible, and it's just handy to start up your car and have it pick up your music right where you left off automatically, no hassling with plugging the phone in (or taking the case off to slide it into the cradle) and then potentially forgetting your phone in the center console. The only bummer is that at least with an iPhone, control is limited to next/previous track, i.e. you can't switch to a new playlist or browse your library. That's a limitation of the iPhone, not iDrive, since iDrive supports the AVRCP 1.4 Bluetooth profile which allows all that. The iPhone as of iOS 5 only supports AVRCP 1.3, which at least shows song metadata. If you're on iOS 4, you only get AVRCP 1.1, which only supports next/previous track control.

2011.75 introduces no meaningful changes unless you get BMW Apps.