Build date

[Deepjoy22]

Does anyone know how to find out the build date (ie: week or month) of a CX5.  No doubt the dealer can tell me from the VIN, just wondering if there is something on the car itself.

Thanks.

[Willpower]

http://researchmaniacs.com/VIN/VIN-Decoder.html

[xtrailman]

Also I have read that the date label on the seat belt gives an indication.

[Deeps]

http://researchmaniacs.com/VIN/VIN-Decoder.html

Some of the data that I read simply doesn't make sense. For example, the 10th letter/numeral in my VIN is a O (or zero) but neither one appears in the list. Also, it states that
if the 7th position of the VIN is a number (mine is) then the vehicle was manufactured prior to 2010. Er, my CX-5 is the new updated 2015 version which I don't think Mazda started way
back in 2010 or earlier. I gave up with the rest LOL.

[Deepjoy22]

Good spot xtrailman - mine has 06/15 so the car itself is at least no earlier than June this year.  Thanks.

As for the VIN decoder, I had the same issue with it saying mine was a pre2010 model year.  VIN doesn't appear to hold the build date though, just the model year.

[Deeps]

Yep - looking at the label on the seat belt gives a date of 07/2015 which would be just about right as I know from the dealer that his order for my car was the last allocated for that particular production run and the car was ordered just before going on holiday in mid July.
That said, part of me would think that any labels appearing on seat belts would indicate manufacturing dates of the seat belt itself which may or not coincide with the manufacturer of the car itself.

[xtrailman]

I think I read that the seat belt label was useful for some one buying second hand, to confirm a owners claim.

[howardsathome]

Always remember that the Japanese (and now most others) work to 'JUST IN TIME PRODUCTION'. Tyres are a good indicator of build date. My Yokohama's are date coded DOT FDF5 PDB1713. DOT is US Department of Transportation World Wide Coding. Next sequence is Tyre Factory Code and Place of Testing. The last 4 Numbers are Week and year. In this case WEEK 17 of 2013 ie end of April.  Hope this helps. I believe the window glass is also coded. All helps to confirm if 'NEW' cars are new or ex some quayside somewhere!

[Deeps]

When I ordered my CX-5 I was informed by the dealer that Mazda, like most other vehicle manufacturers, have some models series produced elsewhere other than Hiroshima with Mexico being popular. The production line in Hiroshima which does produce the CX-5 is also shared with the CX-3 and whilst I cannot remember exactly the time period I think it was along the lines of 1 month CX-3, the next month CX-5. That's the main reason why I was advised that I got my order in just in time as it was the last accepted order for that production run. The dealer also informed me that that when producing, a new CX-5 runs off the line every 13 minutes. Wow.

This does have some advantages in that because I knew the date of the production run I was able to search online and find out which car transporters left the port of Hiroshima within the right timescale. This led me to the ship 'Adriatic Highway' and I subsequently tracked her passage from Japan up until she finally docked in the north German port of Emden. In the case of the CX-5 I don't believe that they are produced in enough numbers to be found lying around quaysides for very long.

Edit: My glass is marked GA23 which is Nipon Sheet Glass Company http://www.carwindshields.info/dot_db and the tyres with DOT 2215 which is 25th - 31st May 2015

[howardsathome]

Fair comment. We are now very much in the era of 'Lean' production. Not so in the 1980's/90's. I had the unfortunate experience of informing customers that their 'new' car had tyres cracking as they were at least 2-3 years old and the car had probably been standing on a salty/high ozone quayside for some time and was perhaps was not such a good buy. Other examples are a batch of Middle East specification Misubishi Pajero(Shogun)that had been quayside in Cyprus for 3 years and were now 'Grey Import' newly into UK, without any underseal etc.
Not one to criticise Rover Group but a large batch of late 800 models were shipped back to UK having failed to sell in New Zealand!
Let the buyer beware.

[Anchorman]

I also think tyres are a good indicator. They take up a huge amount of space so tyres and seats tend to nearly meet a car on the line.