Community Forums

Stuart W · 09-08-2018, 04:57 AM

The 10th digit of the vin determines the model year of the chassis however the registration year goes by the year model of the coach/house. Here is a vin chart for the chassis year 10th digit

GoneToTheDog · 09-08-2018, 06:53 PM

Our neighbor just bought a new Winnebago a month ago. Driver's door placard says Ford chassis manufactured 1/18, and coach finished 2/18. It is licensed and titled as a 2019.

Gordon Dewald · 09-09-2018, 04:42 PM

Coach manufacturer determines the year of the coach. Auto makers have done that in previous times with mid year (for them) auto releases.

hohenwald48 · 09-11-2018, 08:49 AM

Everybody keeps talking about how to determine the manufacture year of the chassis. That is not the issue and constant references to the 10 digit of the chassis VIN are irrelevant.

I'm looking for a number (serial or otherwise) that indicates the model year of the motorhome (not the chassis). My motorhome is a 2007 on a 2006 chassis. that much is fact.

It appears that serial number assignment varies by manufacturer.

Somewhere in its lifetime a county clerk mis-prepared the title as a 2006 and I'm now looking for a way to get it properly titled as a 2007 which I know it to be. I just need some way to verify legally that it is a 2007 model year.

Stuart W · 09-11-2018, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hohenwald48

Everybody keeps talking about how to determine the manufacture year of the chassis. That is not the issue and constant references to the 10 digit of the chassis VIN are irrelevant.

I'm looking for a number (serial or otherwise) that indicates the model year of the motorhome (not the chassis). My motorhome is a 2007 on a 2006 chassis. that much is fact.

It appears that serial number assignment varies by manufacturer.

Somewhere in its lifetime a county clerk mis-prepared the title as a 2006 and I'm now looking for a way to get it properly titled as a 2007 which I know it to be. I just need some way to verify legally that it is a 2007 model year.

It goes by whatever model year given by the manufacturer when the build was completed. I have seen a 3 year discrepancy IE: 2011 motorhome on a 2008 Chassis (when the bottom dropped out of the economy in 2008, cassis were piled up). I provided the vin chart as a reference for the chassis only.

hohenwald48 · 09-11-2018, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D

By Federal Law it must be registered by the completed vehicle VIN number, NOT the chassis VIN.

Per RVIA's website:

And where do I find the "completed vehicle VIN"? That is the question.

I'm starting to think I just have to search all over the vehicle and there's a good chance it's not even there in the first place.

And of course, it's a National RV and they went out of business in 2008 so there's no help from them.

Stuart W · 09-11-2018, 09:30 AM

This may have already been said, every MH I have owned it is on the wall near the drivers seat or the door jamb if there is a drivers door.

Hurricane Owner · 09-11-2018, 09:44 AM

hohenwald48,
You may get better resonses by posting your own thread. I’m sure there are plenty of people that have had your same issue. Any idea if National is still around? Who bought them? Maybe go to them to get documentation you need?

Hurricane Owner · 09-11-2018, 10:02 AM

As stated by others here, there are 3 tags below the driver side window. One is printed by the MFG, it includes the model year.

terryl · 09-11-2018, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hohenwald48

Everybody keeps talking about how to determine the manufacture year of the chassis. That is not the issue and constant references to the 10 digit of the chassis VIN are irrelevant.

I'm looking for a number (serial or otherwise) that indicates the model year of the motorhome (not the chassis). My motorhome is a 2007 on a 2006 chassis. that much is fact.

It appears that serial number assignment varies by manufacturer.

Somewhere in its lifetime a county clerk mis-prepared the title as a 2006 and I'm now looking for a way to get it properly titled as a 2007 which I know it to be. I just need some way to verify legally that it is a 2007 model year.

I'm in the same boat as you are. I have a 2004 Fleetwood chassis, with a 2005 motorhome body (according to Fleetwood) on it. I purchased it used as a 2004, and only found out is was a 2005 when I called Fleetwood for some schematics, and they asked for the FIN #.

In my case, the Federal Certification Tag on the wall next to the driver's seat gives a date of chassis manufacture, and a date of RV manufacture, but does not classify the finished product as either year. In my case, the chassis was completed in 2/2004, and the RV in 5/2004. That is all that is on the tag. Fleetwood apparently designated RVs completed in May as the next year model. My owner's manual from both Ford and Fleetwood are labeled 2004. Since the RV part didn't change much, if any, from year to year, it is clear that Fleetwood did not change their owner's manual every year.

The only place in my RV that I found a stated reference to it being a 2005 is the placard in the wardrobe that lists all the Fleetwood specs.

I didn't concern myself with it too much, as the difference in book value between the two years, being that old, is negligible. From similar discussions on this site, it appears that a percentage of RVs were incorrectly registered by the chassis year, rather than the coachbuilder's. I doubt that you would have much success getting this corrected 12 years after the fact, IMO.

Superburban · 09-11-2018, 03:51 PM

I bet that the state DMV systems automatically use the year from the VIN, and take a extra work to override it. The clerks will just use the automatic generated year, and not bother to over ride it unless the new owner complains.

Those of you that have the wrong years on the Title/ registration, what year does your insurance ID show?

THenne1713 · 09-12-2018, 12:09 AM

In my experience, by chassis date, so 2017. Chassis is what designates the VIN, mine is a 1999 chassis, but discovered floorplan is 2000 variation. Now exact month may determine, as imagine there were some 2017 chassis w/ a 2017 floor plan, that sold as 2017. For mine, e.g. the toilet and hand sink positions swapped in the 2-years.. (which also explains why they are both going to the black tank.)

THenne1713 · 09-12-2018, 11:32 PM

Chassis construction/ VIN# dates usually change around mid year; (by memory?) JULY and later will title as coming year, but (believe some MFR in past years around the globe were OTHER than JULY), not sure if they ever standardized world-wide.