Model year vs chassis year

[J.Mack]

Is it common to have a 2015 model year RV on a 2014 chassis? How does that effect a trade in down the road? Would a dealer appraise its value as a 15 or a 14?

[Hikerdogs]

It's very common to have a coach built on a previous year chassis. Most manufacturers buy the chassis in large enough numbers to get the maximum discount. Sometimes they don't sell enough of the models built on that chassis to use up the entire lot before the model year changes. In that case the next year model motorhome is built on the previous year chassis.

The federal government enacted a law many years ago that directs the states to license these vehicles using the coach builders serial number. This insures the coach will be registered as the year it was finished, not necessarily the year the chassis was built. Your motorhome is considered to be a 2015 model.

Having said this there are still several states that like to use the chassis VIN number for identification rather than the coach manufacturers serial number. If you happen to live in one of those states it can be a battle getting the proper registration. Old habits die hard and it's a little more work to do it the proper way.

["007"]

Welcome to irv2.
X2 What Hikerdogs said also if a MFG has a high volume of coach's being built you may not wind up with the chassis and coach different build date.

[Hikerdogs]

I also forgot to mention that there are times when the coach manufacturers start a new model year before the chassis manufacturers do.

In our case we ordered a 2013 model in Feb of 2013. 1 month after it was delivered (April of 2013) they started introducing the 2014 models. By April of 2014 they had already introduced some 2015 models.

So within 12 months they had gone from the 2013 models to the 2015 models. I doubt the chassis manufacturers had started building the 2015 model chassis when the 2015 motorhomes hit the market place.

[VSPA]

The one I had problems with and got rid of was a 2013/14. NV DMV had registration papers in duplicate.

[Tom N]

Winnebago uses the CHASSIS VIN for the COACH VIN.

[Hikerdogs]

Originally Posted by Tom N

Winnebago uses the CHASSIS VIN for the COACH VIN.

That's not been our experience. We've had 2 Winnebago Adventurers (a 2001 and a 2013) and the chassis Vin number has been totally different than the Winnebago serial number.

[Tom N]

Originally Posted by Hikerdogs

That's not been our experience. We've had 2 Winnebago Adventurers (a 2001 and a 2013) and the chassis Vin number has been totally different than the Winnebago serial number.

Here is my documentation showing the SAME VIN for my chassis and coach.

[ChasA]

Tom and Hikerdogs, No need to argue, you are both correct. There is only 1 VIN and it comes from the chassis. The term VIN stands for Vehicle Identification Number. Winnebago uses both the VIN and a serial number. The sticker next to my driver's seat has both. If I call Freightliner, they want the VIN. If I call Winnebago, they prefer the serial number, but they can look up the serial number if I only give them the VIN, it's just a little bit more work for them. Tom, I'm sure that if you look on the Winnebago label next to your driver's seat, you'll find both numbers.
So, pleas cool off guys.
ps, Tom, see you at the roost next January.
Chas

[LSC9901]

I'm right smack in the middle of dealing with the Vermont DMV. We purchased a 2001 Bounder. The chassis is a 2000. My registration came back first listed as a 2000. I contacted the DMV and they told met that the title would arrive shortly. When it did I was to return both of them to get me updated. As a point of interest the VT title does contain both the VIN and FIN.

In my letter to them I explained that if I were to try and sell it I would have trouble convincing a prospective buyer that it was a '01 versus a '00 especially since they have the wrong info. Hopefully within the next two weeks I'll have all the correct paperwork.

[aauummm]

Originally Posted by J.Mack

Is it common to have a 2015 model year RV on a 2014 chassis? How does that effect a trade in down the road? Would a dealer appraise its value as a 15 or a 14?

Here is the official RIVA explanation provided by the Winnebago Itasca Owners Club:

[ImagineIF]

Originally Posted by aauummm

Here is the official RIVA explanation provided by the Winnebago Itasca Owners Club:

That's a great document! I've seen some motorhome manufacturers assign their own VIN. I see they didn't have to.

Although the document is to the point, it still seems counter intuitive how the final manufacturer is allowed to use a VIN as their own even though the original VIN clearly identifies the original manufacturer and their model year.

Thanks for the reference,

[aauummm]

Originally Posted by ImagineIF

That's a great document! I've seen some motorhome manufacturers assign their own VIN. I see they didn't have to.

Although the document is to the point, it still seems counter intuitive how the final manufacturer is allowed to use a VIN as their own even though the original VIN clearly identifies the original manufacturer and their model year.

Thanks for the reference,

It does seem rather confusing. I know that in the case of Winnebago/Itasca that Winnebago assigns it's own permanent Serial Number to the completed motorhome. The serial number is used for any communication with them or for accessing the online list of every part that was used in building the motorhome, the online design diagrams, recordkeeping, warranty work, etc.

When dealing with the chassis manufacturer the V.I.N. is used in all communications with them.

Winnebago ties the chassis V.I.N. to the completed motorhome on their manufacturer's placard in the motorhome.

Here's my Winnebago placard, the chassis manufacturer (Ford in this case) has a separate placard:

[DeWat]

In addition to all the other comments thus far, if buying new, do what you can to see what you may be losing by getting an older chassis. An example would be the move of the DEF tank to the DS on a lot of 2014 Freightliner chassis. That's the very first thing I looked for when I bought my Phaeton. It would be a real bummer to get a PS DEF tank because of a 2014 motorhome on a 2013 chassis when it may have been moved to the DS for the 2014 MY.