Somewhere on this site there is post where I was advised to try a Japanese web site where I could identify my car via the VIN number (canât now find the Post!). According to DVLA it says sometime in 1992 but I gather this may not be correct as it could be earlier.
Can anyone help as I believe there is a list compiled by someone?Â
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Try here;
Thanks for that⌠12th Sept 1991, over a year earlier than DVLA suggested.Â
When a car is imported, the DVLA takes from the importer a notarized translation of Japanese deregistration documents. These documents are subsequently destroyed.
The DVLA is only concerned about date of first use, NOT date of manufacture. The two are not necessarily the same. Its perfectly conceivable that the car was first used in 1992, but either way, it should be on a J-plate.
So when you say the DVLA indicates the car is âover a yearâ younger, and youâve said before its a â1992â car, then I assume you mean they have issued it a K-reg, indicating late 1992 to early 1993. its quite hard to get that corrected. They will not accept data from a website that is not an official record. Mazda will supply a statement for about ÂŁ50.
Thanks for your post.
Unfortunately, itâs on a private plate so no J or K reg but the V5C says in its notes it was first registered in Jan 2001 and âWas registered/used overseas. Declared manufactured 1992.â I wanted to verify this if I could.Â
I researched via a Japanese importer (provided by a member) who provided the manufactured date. It is an early car and wanted to try to pin it down. I have no reason to believe it to be incorrect following provision of the VIN number. As you say, Mazda are pretty good at keeping records and in this case it didnât cost me anything.  Â
Ok, so this is incorrect
The database people use appears to be Russian in origin. It has extensive gaps. We donât know where the data comes from, whether someone has gotten hold of some of Mazdaâs build records, or they have attempted to reconstruct a dataset using export/auction data. I would say use it for entertainment purposes only.
Another spanner in the works; if the car was originally imported into Northern Ireland (a lot were), and then was imported into Great Britain (and retained the Northern Irish plate), the registration date reflects the GB importation date. The DVLA just takes the year off the DVLNI logbook, and transcribes that. They do not even attempt to contact the DVLNI, who, ironically, preserve, all paperwork on cars imported into NI.
I donât know where the information comes from but may I suggest you have a look at https://www.auc.ts-export.com/month and put in you own carâs VIN number to see if it marries up? (use JP Decoder)
The web site has a great deal of detail regarding the importation of Japanese cars and what detail is required to identify the build (rather than registration) as the Companyâs business is to import Japanese cars. A fellow member recommended it to me. Iâm quite happy with the date on the V5c as it would give me a J plate (the private plate was put on 10 years after first registration) but was interested to see when it was built as it is a pretty early car.
Cheers
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That site uses the same data as the others
This might be of interest:
https://www.miata.net/faq/registrations.html
Japan monthly sales:
https://www.miata.net/faq/production/MazdaMX-5_MonthlySalesJAP_CY1989-2006.pdf
Interestingly, for 1991, the numbers are production numbers, not sales. When the ânewâ model came out in September 1991, Mazda cranked up production, in order, I suppose, to build up dealer stock. But Mazda might have overcooked things, because less cars were sold in 1991 than 1990, in Japan (Mk1 sales tailed off quite quickly). So in that context, it might not be surprising that the car was built in September, but not registered until 1992.
In Japan, production of the Eunos Roadster started in June 1989, in order to build up stock for the September 89 launch, with the first Eunos Roadster being NA6CE-100021.
In September 1991, there was the first significant update; the rear subframe brace was added, the power window switches were changed (unique for Japan). Because ABS was becoming an option, by then the slam panel was changed; previously the passenger side was blanked off. But by then (maybe before), it was opened up, to allow fitment of a screen wash bottle on ABS cars. Those late 1991 cars were onto the third version of the B6ZE engine. Early engines were so-called short nose crankshafts, the infamous âLWSCâ (an in joke: Light Weight Sports Crankshaft), many of which suffered premature failure. In early 1990, this was replaced by a crankshaft dubbed âLong noseâ. In mid-1991, which would include your car, the crank was changed to the âbig noseâ crankshaft. This was the last crankshaft change. Around about that time, the black V-Special was launched. So this model was mid-life before being replaced by the 1.8 model in August 1993.
October 1991 brochure
https://www.atelier-nii.com/cars/rs_catalog/jp/1991_10jp_Roadster_brochure.pdf
Nearly all of the really early cars are in the US, since the model was launched first there. I say nearly, because somehow a preproduction car, which should have been scrapped in the US, and was never road legal there, ended up in the Netherlands. It went on the market a few years back, and had some really strange differences (eg. the airfilter box wasnât plastic, but metal).
Interesting.Â
Mine is a black V Special (as in brochure) but with no ABS. If the VIN corresponds to the total production numbers then 1991 makes sense. First registration was definitely 1992.
Thanks for your help. Â
My Eunos VIN is not accepted in the links for checkingâŚerror.
Are there any other links I can use? Best to assume my car was imported close to UK registration date (1995)?
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Regards
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In case you did not receive my reply, try:
https://auc.ts-export.com (leave out www.)
Select Mazda and insert a - between NA6CE and the number. (e.g. NA6CE-150000). That should work. I had to try various combinations until the answer came up.
Good luck.
Doubtful. Generally, it seemed the cars were exported just before their 7 year Shaken inspection. SVA rules meant importers found it easier to import a car at 10 years old, not less (just needed a MOT). When imported the DVLA would usually issue an age-specific plate (not always).
The online datasets all have substantial gaps for cars built 1994-1995.
G-Limiteds were built in early 1995.
If you are checking the date when it was made make sure you insert a - before the VIN number
e.g. NA6CE-150000.
My Eunos V Special was first registered in the UK in 1992 but was built in September 1991.
Have you tried:
https//auc.ts-export.com/monthâŚthe site worked for me.
.
Are you sure your car was registered in the UK in 1992; which means it was basically imported as a brand new car. Or are you misreading the V5. The date of first use would be in âSpecial Notesâ on ther first page, and then inside, data of registration in the UK. So SAZ9961 was declared manufactured in 1996, but first registered in 2000. When I purchased the car, it was on a N-plate.
I wouldnât rule out a 1992 registration; back then, there was a company (Autohaus) bringing in autobox V-Specials, and I know a small number of cars came in with Japanese employees. But these cars are now going be mostly in a bad state now.
Apologies for the confusion but my car was first Registered abroad in 1992 but was imported into the UK in 2001.
I obtained the build information via the https//auc ⌠etc web site, I mentioned before, and by inserting a - between (in my case) NA6CE and the VIN number it produced the build date and car specification e.g. it has an LSD.
Iâve this site a number of times for my import and it never loads any information. I just see an endlessly spinning pair of grey cogs going round. I wonder whether the site doesnât like Macs?
Thanks. Worked for me. 26 February 1991. I used the - (dash).
Thatâs good. Only problem I have subsequently found is that DVLA will not accept it as proof of model name/designation. They have required a letter from Mazda (not a dealer) which quite frankly is ridiculous, even after I sent supporting photos of the car and vin number. At least the site works!