DS4 Cross 2024 /2023 build date & missing badge

[BusybeasDS]

Hi All,
I am looking at purchasing a DS4 VIN VR1**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]

Its been pre -registered 31st July 2024, but I believe it was manufactured 2023.
Is there anyway I can glean the actual month of the build?

DVLA seem to use the registration date as the year of manufacture.. ( and to my knowledge always has done!)

Also,
I am currently on hold with the purchase as this is the CROSS version, and there is one of the Cross door badges missing..
Should have a Cross badge on both front doors..

No idea if this was the factory lapse, storage or transportation loss or dealer..
Surprisingly, it took me as the proposed purchaser to identify the issue... from their own sales photos.
I am aware this model ended in 2023, so am waiting to see if they can source a new badge to complete the vehicle ( and the purchase).

Even though its 'only a badge' I am resisting finalising the transaction until a badge can be found and the vehicle deemed 'complete'.
After all, the CROSS badge is part of the car's identity.. compared to a normal DS4.
I do get the feeling the dealer is thinking I am unreasonable...

i am though curious as to when ( what month) this car was actually built ?
Can anyone assist please?

Thanks in advance

Steve

[RichardW]

Welcome along

i am though curious as to when ( what month) this car was actually built ?
Can anyone assist please?

Thanks in advance

Steve

Jan '23...but we can do better than that - it was built 24/01/23.

The cross badge is available at just over £30 so it shouldn't be hard for them to sort it out.

[BusybeasDS]

Thanks Richard....

so hardly a 'new car' then !

I am shocked that it is 19 months old and on sale as pre -registered @ July 31st 2024 in UK !
That's actually older than the one I was going to p/ex for it!

Hmm. Is this length of 'storage' usual ( seems extreme to me), what would it mean for the actual electronics and components in the car?
Even if it was in their 'storage / hibernation' mode.

Getting the wobbles about this now... to be honest !

Steve

[GiveMeABreak]

Not really surprised, but the EVs are worse, piling up as nobody (private customers at any rate) are not buying them - these are worse because of the systems that start failing when the batteries all discharge....

It also depends on what you are buying, as there's still major delays on ICE vehicles for customers. I have family members who keep having their new Berlingo order put forward - they should have had it in February - now looks like September....

[BusybeasDS]

Thanks Marc,

I am concerned that the ' pre registered / nearly new car' is nothing of the sort, other than no one's actually owned it and it has only 6 miles on the odo.
But I didn't expect almost 20 months old!

It was advertised as pre-registered, so I suppose technically ( legally) they haven't misrepresented it.

Though DVLA lists it as a July 2024 build / manucafturers date ( same as the registration) which is very misleading.

I expected praps 6 months or at a push , 9 month ( Dec 2023) but I am shocked at Jan 23 date!

I am thinking tyres will be almost 20 months old, as will presumably be the battery , the oil in the car, brake fluid etc etc...
I believe many of these things / consumables deteriorate over time ?

This is giving me the jitters now.. If I withdraw / cancel, I expect they will likely keep my deposit £550.. I just don't want to buy a 'pup' !

BTW, the actual car looks great ( except for missing badge) drives great.. and compared to factory order 10k cheaper.
It will have the mfrs DS warranty for 3 years..

Any idea's where DS 'store' their cars ?
Inside / outside , at a port or in a field where it would be exposed to sunshine and u/v.. ( further deterioration of rubber components I guess?)
Is there a 'storage' protocol they adhere to, to avoid problems?




Steve

[PaulC5]

Which engine does it have, if 1.5 hdi I think there was a change on how vulnerable the cam shaft chain will be to failure which would depend on build date. If a Puretech these had their timing belt problems since it runs in oil. Admin will be better able to help with the engine problems.

You might have a think about possible resale values later on since it may not be classed as a July 2024 car, have a look at what a Jan 2023 car is selling for now.

[BusybeasDS]

Thanks Paul,

It's a puretech 130 petrol, same a the C4X I have now..
I am aware of the issues of the wet belt systems, but properly maintained , they are great little engines..

I went from a 1.5blue HD1 to our current car.. and wouldn't go back to diesel ( after 20 years of diesels), the puretech is much quieter and smoother than the diesel ever was..
MPG is not too far adrift either.. but they do need to be properly maintained, correct oil etc.. I always uses main dealer for the servicing anyway, so won't be an issue..

Not really bothered about the resale value, even the DVLA list it as 24 manufactured and registered... 99% of people would look at DVLA and the reg anyway.

Steve

[BusybeasDS]

Thanks to this forum, I am now considering withdrawing from the purchase of the DS4.
Having found our current car, despite being a 73 plate, is actually much younger than the 24 plate we were going to buy.

73 plate.. built August 2023
24 plate built Jan 2023

Clearly number plates are misleading to joe public... a lot of knowledge gleaned on here tonight, thank you.

The salesman said 2023.. I just didn't think to ask when in 2023... assumed it would be end of the year... not the beginning !
If I lose my deposit, so be it..

Cheers
Steve

[GiveMeABreak]

The DS 4 2021 onwards 'Crossback' is made at the Rüsselsheim factory in Germany, so will be either outdoors in one of the parking lots or at a port no doubt sitting about. You're quite right about battery and tyres - probably hasn't done them any good sitting stationary for that length of time.

I would argue that you have been mis-sold this vehicle on the basis that it is almost 2 years older than you were led to believe! I can't see them getting away with that - so put your foot down and if there's nowhere they informed you in writing that this was an early 2023 model, then I think you have a right to withdraw.

[BusybeasDS]

Cheers Marc

Glad I joined the forum, just in time too.. it was to compete tomorrow !
I have sent them an email to withdraw from the purchase.
On the basis that the build date is 20 months in the past, despite being registered 31st July 2024!
The DVLA information is also misleading, but I assume that is submitted by the dealer when registering the car.

Anyways, I have told them I won't be proceeding and would like my deposit back, thanks.
I will keep you updated.

Cheers
Steve

[BusybeasDS]

Well, thanks to you guys for the knowledge and advice.

The dealership /salesman has accepted my order cancellation and promised my refund of deposit by tomorrow, and done so, in writing..
( refund to be via phone from their accounts dept, but I guess that's their system, as they haven't got my card or myself present).

No drama, no conflict and the car is again up for sale with exactly the same photos and information!

I shall confirm when the matter is resolved.
Thanks again to this fine forum and the knowledge within!

Steve

[GiveMeABreak]

No problem Steve, I'm really pleased you had a result. There's a huge difference between registration date (which means absolutely no more than that) and the actual build date of the vehicle.

This can adversely affect owners - take cam belt changes - that's 2 years you would've lost from the 10 year interval alone....

When you consider that the DVLA won't allow you to purchase a private number plate to make the car appear newer than it is - this is exactly what the dealer has done - but they get away with it because that will be the first registration... Crazy!

Dealers may be incentivised to register vehicles at certain times to artificially increase new sales figures within a certain period - but we've known this goes on for ages. My advice in future is if you have the VIN, we can always advise of the actual build date for PSA / DS cars.

[BusybeasDS]

Cheers Marc,

Re: DVLA, I am amazed that this has been allowed to become routine!

Especially now that I know the VIN actually contains the year of manufacture ( 10th digit in the 17 digit sequence) On the DS4 it was P , and on our C4X it is a P = 2023

Yet , as the DS4 was newly registered on 31st July 2024... it defaults to the manufacture date being the same!
Utter madness , even though the VIN says different, with a P = 2023.

Most people would ( like me) check the DVLA web site.. and clearly that system is flawed / misleading and inaccurate.
BTW, this was part of my withdrawl from the sale claim as the car was clearly 20 months old, but DVLA show it as new!

Certainly, should I change the car, I will now a) ask the advice on this forum and directly ask the dealer for the actual build date.
I can imagine there are a heck of a lot of 24 plates driving around that could well be similar... OLD / New cars !

Thanks again, I am awaiting that call and refund tomorrow as promised (Tuesday).

Steve

[PaulC5]

You can get the build date from the tyre pressure sticker on one of the door pillars. The RPO number may be the top one and if you put it into a RPO calculator you get the date. On early cars it is 4 or 5 numbers long but on more recent ones it is longer but just the first 5 are used. As an example on our 308 the rpo is 1540289 and putting 15402 in to a calculator comes back as a build date of 9th Jan 2019, it was registered though end of May 2019.
An example of a calculator http://www.citroen-ds-id.com/gen/Gen_Organr.html

[BusybeasDS]

You can get the build date from the tyre pressure sticker on one of the door pillars. The RPO number may be the top one and if you put it into a RPO calculator you get the date. On early cars it is 4 or 5 numbers long but on more recent ones it is longer but just the first 5 are used. As an example on our 308 the rpo is 1540289 and putting 15402 in to a calculator comes back as a build date of 9th Jan 2019, it was registered though end of May 2019.
An example of a calculator http://www.citroen-ds-id.com/gen/Gen_Organr.html

Cheers Paul, that's very useful info !
I would have been happy with a 5 or even 6 month build date, but 20 is well extreme!

Steve