2 Used Phoenix Cruisers in Florida

I just saw 2 used Phoenix Cruisers at Register RV in Brooksville, FL.  One is a 2008 2400 and the other is 2010 2350.  I know nothing about them.  It is just unusual to see 2 of them sitting on the lot and thought I would pass it on.

Peg

I just saw 2 used Phoenix Cruisers at Register RV in Brooksville, FL.  One is a 2008 2400 and the other is 2010 2350.  I know nothing about them.  It is just unusual to see 2 of them sitting on the lot and thought I would pass it on.

Peg

They sure dont do much work on their website. I am pretty sure this is not a picture of a 2008, as they stopped the grill style in 2007... but could be a late production 2007 that somehow got classed as a 2008.    No VIN listed to check.



The 2010 2350 is even more mysterious.   

Year   2010
Make   PHOENIX CR
Model   2350
Vehicle Type   Motorcycle / Scooter
VIN   WDXPF445X89393886
Odometer   28684

Scooter, eh? 2010? 10Th digit of the VIN says 8...  since the early 80's that would say its a 2008.

Took the VIN to the decoder...  http://www.free-vin-decoder.com/chrysler/sprinter/2008/WDXPF445089373064   This campers VIN shows up at the bottom of the right column. And the description fits a RV..   So its a Sprinter 2350?

free vin decode for Sprinter SPRINTER 2008
Make: Manufactured by DaimlerChrysler AG
ModelYear: 2008 Model Year
Manufacturer: Sprinter
Division: Dodge Incomplete
CarLineCode: 4 X 2 - U.S.
CarLineSeries: 3500C/C3500 3550 mm 15 in. wheel
BodyType: 9,001 - 10,000 lbs. Class H
RestraintSystem: 3.0L V6 50-State Diesel
EngineCode: Hydraulic Brakes
CheckDigit: Check Digit
PlantCode: Ludwigsfelde
BuildDate: 2008208


Pretty cool!  But imagine you are shopping online for a PC, and think this is a 2010 scooter.      Mrs V ran into this a LOT when she was searching. We actually found ours through a Craigslist ad a dealer 3+ hrs away put in our local CL.

VERY happy they did. We love our 2350, our paint looks almost identical to the '08 (?) 2400 picture above. Different front bumper cover is about it.

Typical of some of the smaller motorhome manufacturers, they use a cutaway they have in stock and build the "next year" RV on top.

For example, my 2551 was built in December of 2014 and was built with all the 2015 PC changes.  But the chassis (thus VIN) show it to be a 2014 cutaway which was built in August 2014.

In fact, mine was one they used for RV shows and I bought it at the 2015 Good Sam "rally" in Phoenix AZ in late February 2015.

Got a good deal too!  They didn't have to hire a driver to drive it back to Elkhart!

Typical of some of the smaller motorhome manufacturers, they use a cutaway they have in stock and build the "next year" RV on top.

For example, my 2551 was built in December of 2014 and was built with all the 2015 PC changes.  But the chassis (thus VIN) show it to be a 2014 cutaway which was built in August 2014.

In fact, mine was one they used for RV shows and I bought it at the 2015 Good Sam "rally" in Phoenix AZ in late February 2015.

Got a good deal too!  They didn't have to hire a driver to drive it back to Elkhart!

Well, for us 'new year starts Jan 1' folks, it is 'last years' cutaway. But....For auto/vehicle manufacturers, New Years Day is August 1st. So that was an early production year model.

But that is not the law!  It gets stranger.

For regulation purposes (such as VIN numbering and EPA emissions certification), government authorities allow cars of a given model year to be sold starting on January 1 of the previous calendar year. For example, this means that a 2019 model year vehicle can legally go on sale on January 1, 2018.[6] This has resulted in a few cars in the following model year being introduced in advertisements during the NFL Super Bowl in February. A notable example of an "early" model year launch would be the Ford Mustang, introduced as an early 1965 model (informally referred to as "1964½") in April 1964 at the World's Fair, several months before the usual start of the 1965 model year in August 1964.

source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_year

August 1, 2014 is the beginning of the 2015 model year for Ford.  So yes, yours might be correct model year all around. 10th VIN digit 5?

Generally the DMV or Insurance will automatically kickback a VIN that the 10th digit does not match the model year declared. From my limited experience. 

 

Regardless of the RV manufacture, it is very common for a chassis to pre-date the year of the motor home.  Motor homes manufactured during the recession are exceptionally susceptible, again regardless of brand.

I recall that Kermit Fisher who owned Phoenix USA until a few years ago, bought a few 2008 E350 and many Sprinter chassis at RV bankruptcy auctions in 2009 and 2010.  He then offered the Sprinter at no extra charge, and those few E350s at a lower price yet.  As a result, nearly every 2010 PC Sprinter has a 2008 Sprinter chassis.  That E350 is rare by comparison and is identified by a smaller fuel tank and I think also the smaller 5.4L V8 engine.  You will find that particular E350 on a few model 2100s.

Kermit sold 2010 2350s on 2008 Sprinters like hotcakes.  The buyers were very happy to "Get The Deal" and Phoenix survived The Great Recession.

Well hey!  My lack of exposure to RV's at the DMV shows here. 

Does anyone here have a VIN that does NOT match the model year?

For example, you own a 2011 model RV and the 10th digit is NOT 1?

I feel sorry for those people who buy that 2007 chassis/body  "2008" when they buy parts...   

 I have to give an overdue visit to my buddy at the DMV to see how common that is. The ONLY time I have run into the numbers disagreeing is on a Knapheide truck conversion, where the completed date was used instead of the base vehicle date. We got one for a service truck that had gotten through the Georgia DMV as a 2004 when it was really a 2003. The VIN mismatch was all sorts of trouble on that one with our insurance and the Florida DMV. It was finally changed to a 2003 on the Florida title. This was back in 2005, so it was a 'big deal' that the truck was older than it was stated to be, model year wise.

But thanks Ron!  SO many things to learn. 

Does anyone here have a VIN that does NOT match the model year?  For example, you own a 2011 model RV and the 10th digit is NOT 1?  I feel sorry for those people who buy that 2007 chassis/body  "2008" when they buy parts... 

But thanks Ron!  SO many things to learn. 

Well I am learning too.  I did not realize digit #10 was the model year.  That code must be more recent.

Our first motor home was a 1984 Mirage SEEN HERE built on a 1983 Toyota chassis.  I just looked at the documentation.  It's VIN has the letter "D" for digit #10.

When it comes to motor homes, many chassis do not match the RV year.  This is because RV manufactures introduce their RV model year very early in the previous year, many months before the chassis of that same year becomes available.

We lived with that mismatch with our Mirage for 24 years.  I have to admit, it always bothered me.  So when we ordered our 2007 PC-2350 in May of 2007, I had it stated on the contract that it would be built on a 2007 Ford E350.  I imagine that all their 2006s were gone by then anyway, but I wanted to make sure of it.  Funny though, had we gotten a 2006 chassis, the Ford interior color of that model year would have been a perfect match for our full body paint job.  Go figure.

Quote from: donc13 on November 06, 2019, 02:59:30 pm

Typical of some of the smaller motorhome manufacturers, they use a cutaway they have in stock and build the "next year" RV on top.

For example, my 2551 was built in December of 2014 and was built with all the 2015 PC changes.  But the chassis (thus VIN) show it to be a 2014 cutaway which was built in August 2014.

In fact, mine was one they used for RV shows and I bought it at the 2015 Good Sam "rally" in Phoenix AZ in late February 2015.

Got a good deal too!  They didn't have to hire a driver to drive it back to Elkhart!

Well, for us 'new year starts Jan 1' folks, it is 'last years' cutaway. But....For auto/vehicle manufacturers, New Years Day is August 1st. So that was an early production year model.

But that is not the law!  It gets stranger.

Quote

For regulation purposes (such as VIN numbering and EPA emissions certification), government authorities allow cars of a given model year to be sold starting on January 1 of the previous calendar year. For example, this means that a 2019 model year vehicle can legally go on sale on January 1, 2018.[6] This has resulted in a few cars in the following model year being introduced in advertisements during the NFL Super Bowl in February. A notable example of an "early" model year launch would be the Ford Mustang, introduced as an early 1965 model (informally referred to as "1964½") in April 1964 at the World's Fair, several months before the usual start of the 1965 model year in August 1964.

source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_year

August 1, 2014 is the beginning of the 2015 model year for Ford.  So yes, yours might be correct model year all around. 10th VIN digit 5?

Generally the DMV or Insurance will automatically kickback a VIN that the 10th digit does not match the model year declared. From my limited experience. 

 

Nope... my 10th digit is a "D" which is the 4th letter so D = 2014 in Ford vin

However, at least Colorado uses the MSO to title the vehicle and the Ford cutaway is an "incomplete" and can not be registered.   Phoenix provided me their MSO (since they completed the vehicle) which uses the Ford VIN since that ties the chassis to all the various parts that were used to that specific vehicle.

Colorado requires a licensed dealer, the police or a state emissions inspection station to certify the VIN.

And thus even though it is a 2014 chassis, and 2014 VIN it is titled as a 2015 model year vehicle.

Same with my insurance company (State Farm) shows it, a 2015 Phoenix CR.

Cool!   

Thanks for that. And thanks to all for tolerating the topic drift... Good to know stuff!