No Date on Data Plate, or Overhaul Date on Plate. What date appears on SF-97.

[JKDAY]

I've noticed that some m998 auction listings don't show a build year for the vehicle, and based upon photos of the data plates, it appears that the delivery date is blank on some vehicles. Also, I've noticed that some delivery dates show 2007 or 2008 for m998's with serial numbers that date their build dates in the 80's. I realize that these later dates are likely the overhaul dates. My question for anyone who has purchased an m998 with one of these blank or late date data plates - what date actually shows up on the SF-97 from GP? Do they use some other source for the date, or only what is stamped on the data plate?

 

[CARNAC]

Yes.

 

[98G]

They use you for the source of the date. They expect you to track down date of manufacture and submit a manual request for SF97. This adds time to the SF97 interval, and since it doesn't go through their standard process it also allows for an opportunity to lose it or screw it up.

 

[juanprado]

You could go through the vin thread here and request info. Bumper numbers could be useful and sometimes the vehicle serial is in the inside fender footwells stenciled. Sometimes it can be an alpha numeric like n63t5632 etc

You might have to get the truck to first to "search" it and then request the sf97. Could be a work order (binder) in the truck for maintenance like I found in my 5 ton with info in it also. You never know what is in those storage boxes under the seats.

At the absolute worse if nothing else works, take your best guess, stamp the plate with a harbor freight punch set and use that same exact info to request your sf97. There is no data base or standardization like a civy 17 digit vin. I have done this with trailers that had absolutely no id and no way to id.

 

[98G]

You could go through the vin thread here and request info. Bumper numbers could be useful and sometimes the vehicle serial is in the inside fender footwells stenciled. Sometimes it can be an alpha numeric like n63t5632 etc

You might have to get the truck to first to "search" it and then request the sf97. Could be a work order (binder) in the truck for maintenance like I found in my 5 ton with info in it also. You never know what is in those storage boxes under the seats.

At the absolute worse if nothing else works, take your best guess, stamp the plate with a harbor freight punch set and use that same exact info to request your sf97. There is no data base or standardization like a civy 17 digit vin. I have done this with trailers that had absolutely no id and no way to id.

For these, GP requires that you pick it up prior to submitting the SF97 request.

Getting the date of manufacture is not difficult - as mentioned above, track it down with the serial number or other dates on the truck.

And as JP says, worst case just give it your best guess as who is to say differently?

But do budget extra time for titling paperwork on these. I've done several vehicles that have required me to submit the manual SF97 request. Every one of them has taken longer. One of them was particularly problematic and took 14 months.

 

[JKDAY]

Thank you all for the responses. I didn't realize that the SF97 was generated after the vehicle is received, and that the buyer actually has input on the date that appears on the issued SF97. I thought that GP might just send the SF97 with the date already on it. This makes all makes sense now.

 

[donkren]

I bought my truck from GovPlanet. I requested an SF-97 in the checkout process, and received it about a month and a week after the close of the sale. I had no input into it, other than paying for it. It transferred the truck to IronPlanet, not me. This caused some difficulty at the DMV and necessitated a power of attorney from IronPlanet (which they promptly provided) and additional paperwork and expense.

 

[Action]

I bought my truck from GovPlanet. I requested an SF-97 in the checkout process, and received it about a month and a week after the close of the sale. I had no input into it, other than paying for it. It transferred the truck to IronPlanet, not me. This caused some difficulty at the DMV and necessitated a power of attorney from IronPlanet (which they promptly provided) and additional paperwork and expense. By the way, the SF-97 I got had the wrong date on it. That didn't seem to cause any problem (so far.)

If you use an sf-97 to get a title, and the title year doesn't match the data plate,,,,that can lead to some issues down the road. maybe when getting pulled over, or getting insurance, or transferring the title when you sell it.

 

[donkren]

Action, You made a good point. I went back and double checked, they years match. I edited my post to delete my error.

 

[98G]

When relevant info is missing, the option of filling out the SF97/title request isn't available at check out.

 

[papakb]

If your lucky the data plate will have a delivery date stamped on it but if not it's a crap shoot. I have seen vehicles with dates on the data plates that get registered with the year they were first entered into the DMV system. I have a friend who has an M151A2 that is registered as a '95 vehicle because of that. There are numbers stamped into the A pillar in front of the drivers windshield that can be run by law enforcement that will give you the year of manufacture but usually you need to have a friend in the system who can run them for you. I don't know if AMG will even tell you that information if you provide the numbers to them but who knows, stranger things have happened and it might be worth a try since they should have those records.

If you get a positive answer from them please post it here. It'd be good to know.