Me, I prefer to get a car that was produced later in that model year, as opposed to at the beginning. If two cars were similar, i.e. no changes, then I'd rather have a 2018 made in June 2018, rather than a 2019 made in July 2019. That is more for pricing. But if say a 2018 car, I'd rather get one made 6/18, as opposed to 9/17.

I do think it's an inexact science, as say with a BMW 335i, it's common knowledge that you should be no older than 3/08 if you are buying used, due to a front carrier issue. But, then you have folks who said my car was produced 6/08 and it "does" have the issue.

Anyhow, is anybody like me where you'd prefer later in the model year, as opposed to at the start or earlier?

 

In general (but not always), a sample vehicle produced later in the model year will be a better bet. They will more likely have had any previous updates, TSBs (Technical-Service-Bulletins), safety-recalls, computer re-programmings, problems on the assembly line, etc.... applied at the factory, before they are shipped to the dealers.

However, I'll admit that, last time around, I did not quite practice what I had preached. My 2018 Lacrosse (the ordering process for it, because of Buick's constant last-minute re-shuffling of standard/optional equipment for it, turned out to be a mess) ended up being one of the very first Lacrosses produced at the Detroit Hamtramck plant for 2018, since it was too late to order a 2017 (which was the redesigned 3Gen Lacrosse's first model year). The 2018 also had a new GM 9-speed automatic that year, that, while not completely new, had seen only very limited service in a couple of GM's 2017 models....primarily the Chevy Malibu 2.0T Premier. So, it was still relatively untested in the long run.

 

No, I don't care at all.

 

btw I will buy the milk that expires the latest--that is not to say I will destroy the case while checking. My friend said that is wrong, you should always get the oldest product, to help the vendor. I disagreed because I am the customer. If he saw a rib eye expiring today, and another in 4 days, he would take the one expiring today, for real.

In PA, if you buy a car from stock, every vehicle on the lot is inspected when it comes in. So during the recession, you saw some Chevys with inspection stickers about to expire, they were sitting that long. But it is a very easy way to tell how long a vehicle has been on the lot at least in PA.

 

Don't care.

 

 

You can clearly see this in the BMW E90, from 2006 to 2010--there once was a sticky which would list out what got removed each year. And costs do add up, or savings to the mfg. Like an ash tray door, a cigarette lighter (nobody smokes in a car is the rationale), sound deadening under the hood, material on sun visors, then you start getting like true dual exhaust to fake (major production savings), high end stereo optional which was standard, etc.

But it is interesting that in 2007 $40,600 had true dual exhaust, high end stereo, external oil cooler, adaptive xenon, rechargeable flashlight, stuff that would later be removed while sticker goes up....good point.

The best is when someone is willing to drop 60k on a car, and the muffler is like a Pontiac G6, always got a kick out of that...

edit remember when the 340i with B58 engine came out, exhaust was like this, about 1/4 the cost of a 335i to 2010

https://www.gmpartsonline.net/auto-p...omponents-scat

 

 

I care somewhat - and it depends on the situation. I don't know that it would prevent me from buying a car one way or the other (especially since I buy used and you don't always have a lot of choices), but on my 460 I was very pleased to find one that was very late production as it gave me confidence I would be less likely to encounter some known issues on earlier models. I didn't even look at when our LX was produced because I had researched enough to know that there were no big issues within 2 model years of the year I was purchasing.

 

I hate the no dipstick thing because it makes something so basic, complicated. No dipstick means car perfectly level, fluid at exact operating temp, pump new fluid in while check plug is overflowing and stop at the right moment. The dipstick way is drain, refill, check and adjust until right.

Indie showed me the process and said basically it's not that easy for you to do at home, maybe you're better off paying me $68. He said same with rear axle, you need the vehicle perfectly level (then I see people online doing the job with car on two ramps lol). Techs will be the first ones to tell you do oil changes, brake jobs, the easy stuff at home. Leave some other stuff to us. There has to be something on a car that needs expertise, right? That's why that's their job..

I used to take my Maxima to a Porsche shop for some stuff, and once the owner told me you don't need us to change a brake hose for you, you can do this yourself. I said I know but I am just not sure about flaring lines etc. I've not done that, in case it breaks...sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zone. He was trying to save me $80 (hey it was a Porsche shop lol)

 

I didn't care until now that I own the Stinger. It's a Nov 2017 build and I have several (small) issues that have mostly been addressed (per owner feedback) with builds 6-8 months later.

The '17 A4 I had was also an early build which had some gremlins too.

On the otherhand, with Lexus ownership, I had first-second month builds of the CT, NX, and 3IS and were 99% perfect in Initial Quality. With my particular Stinger for comparison, it's a 65%. A4, an 80%.

In short, if the wife wants the UX, I won't hesitate to put in the order despite getting an early build. Yes, foreshadowing of possible things to come.

 

I didn't care until my 2016 IS, which was built in 11/15 was hit and run on 3/17 and the insurance company (Wawanesa) told me that because the car was more than a year old, they specify used or aftermarket replacement parts to repair the damage. It needed a new rear bumper cover. Fortunately, a company using the same parking garage where I worked came forward and said they would pay for the repairs without admitting involvement or wrongdoing. I accepted.

 

Do care, not always, but some earlier builds have issues that get worked out on later builds. There are sometimes a huge plus to an early build, the Porsche 993 being one of them. Early build 993 models don't have that annoying drive block system. Which basically if your remote is dead on a road trip your SOL. And most don't understand the icon on the dash, you have 3 minutes to start the car once unlocked, lots of noobs think it's a dead battery issue, no you hit the button again, icon goes off and car starts right up...

 

It depends. Apparently the New Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio's are pretty reliable in comparison to the MY1's, I would buy the most recent model of those if I were looking.

 

I guess I'd want a car late in the production year on the theory that any assembly issues were already worked out. And if it was a radical model change, I think I'd wait for year 2 so that major issues were redesigned.

Example: I have a '69 vette. The radical redesign came in '68. The '68 vettes had a major cooling issue. The '69s had modified fiberglass and did not suffer the same issue.