FN2 A year between build and compliance date - anyone else?

[drewh]

Hi all,

I bought my Civic Type R brand new here in Australia last Oct - the car has a build date of July 2010 but interestingly the compliance-plate date is July 2011 (VIN is SHHFN2360AU100284). I've previously had a 95 Integra VTi-R and its build date was June 95, complianced in December (6 months later). Interesting that my car took probably 11 months to get to Aus before being compliance-plated? Obviously it would take a bit longer to come from the UK to Aus than Japan to Aus (say what, 3-5 months maximum from UK to Aus?). Still about 6 months unaccounted for.... anyone have any ideas or theorys on why? I'm sure the brand new built cars in Swindon don't stay in the holding yard nearby or wherever they go from the factory for too long. Maybe someone in UK might know more


Cheers
Andrew

 

[Loxy]

Might have had something to do with the Tsunami in Japan.

It must have sat at Swindon for a while until they resumed sending them across the water?

I know they scaled back production afterwards. It could be they were just waiting for the correct numbers to be ready before sending the ship.

 

[rodanmk2]

Not unusual mate - I'm selling brand new cars at the moment from a certain company in Italy (not Ferrari no - much more boring than that) and we had a "brand new" one through the other day that showed a build date of late 2010.

Seen that before with some French manufacturers too.

 

[drewh]

I thought that myself re the Tsunami - but that doesnt seem as plausible given the car was built in July 2011 (the point at which it receives build date is when the transmission and body are connected together I believe), yet the Tsunami was 11 March 2011, 8 months afterwards. Also the car was then complianced here in July 2011 about 4 months after the Tsunami. It is possible but do you think they would have kept the car sitting there in Swindon or wherever for even 6-7 months? thats a huge amount of time (thats assuming 5 months to here from UK).

My concern is just more with the time between the build and compliance date - could anyone let me know what the difference between their build and compliance dates are in months?? any close to 12?

 

[drewh]

also... wonder how they stop the batteries going dead in all that time... removed from cars while in whatever holding yard/place?

 

[rodanmk2]

Cars sitting about in fields, docks, out the back of dealers - it's all standard car industry practice. Even if they sit there for 6, 7, 10 months or over a year, this is not uncommon.

In my experience, batteries aren't left connected. We have lots of types of a certain car that come through with batteries that get them to our place, but then die soon after.

 

[drewh]

Thats pretty interesting... I wonder whether Honda keep completed cars at their Swindon factory? On google maps if you look at it - http://g.co/maps/mtyh5 - there are heaps of parks there. Wouldnt they have to try and keep the cars undercover though if for so long? Otherwise how when it arrives is the paint work pretty much untouched? Within prob 2 weeks I could see minor swirls from parking my car in the carport so obviously it must have been largely kept undercover for that time.

Would seem like such a waste for them to keep the cars so long...Loxys point re waiting for the right number before taking them to the dock and then onto the ship makes sense though - its a pretty damn big journey from UK to Aus (presuming the go right around under Africa and then across the Indian Ocean to Aus. Should have made them in Japan as well for the Asia Pacific market - much much closer.

 

[drewh]

interesting the batteries too are Japanese made. Do people know what parts of the car come from Japan? Obviously the batteries but the engines or parts of them? Thought I remembered reading the Type R engines came from Japan but can't remember where I read it.