generally any month after the 6th is considered the next model year i.e. a car produced in July of 1998 (07/98) would be considered a 1999 model...at least in the US.

 

I always though it was any car produced starting in September.

9/01 = Model Year 2002
8/01 = Model Year 2001

 

Did they start making the 02's in 01? (if so what month?)

Ya, mine was produced in 11/01 and is considered a 2002.

 

Mine, too.

 

OK, thanks - I was a little weirded out because realoem.com makes you choose 2001 for a 12/01 production date.

 

Always use the last 7 digits of your VIN - much easier.

 

Thats because RealOEM goes by production dates

 

Theres really no rule of thumb for this stuff guys. It varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, even model to model. It matters less when the car was produced and more what revisions were made to the car. If revisions for the 12 model start in January of 11, then 1/11 production cars may be sold as 2012 models. Therse no definitive formula or anything to determine this. With OUR specific cars it appears to be after September was next year's production. This is how most cars were until somewhat recently, now cars be produced almost any time and be as next year's. They just sit and accumulate dirt after they are made for a few months before getting shipped out as the "new" models after already sitting for months.

 

This is true. Working for a manufacturer i see it a lot. Generally anything after the 7th month is the next years model. But like you said it depends when the revision is on the vehicle. Ive seen 1/08 cars which are classified as 2009 models. It also depends if the manufacturer has some left over vehicles of the "old body style" that is being discontinued. For example the 2007 Nissan Xtrail. Nissan never made or mannufactured them in 2007, all the 2007's were left over 2006's which can be verified by the production date.