Not Sure If My Car Is A 94 Or 93?

[BMW-ATI]

Like I have a 325is My insurance says it's a 94, the Maintinence records say it's a 94
but the vin says it's a 93?

is there any possible way maybe I got a 94 model in 93 and thats why the VIN says that

what are the differences between 93 and 94 325i's?

[theruss1an1]

Check the VIN number on your door jam and on the inside of your bumper. If they match thats good, original piece. The 93 bumper looks like an m3, but the very middle doesnt stick out. 94 has a diffrent bumber, its all a big black grill that runs across and every part is on the same level as the fog lamps. Hope that helps. Also, open your door and see if your window rolls down about 1/2 an inch. 93's dont do that. Those are some of the diffrences that me and my bimmer buddies have between my 94 and their 93's.

-Serge

[BMW-ATI]

Wait....ahhhhhh Someone said 93's dont have sidemarkers, Mine dont, but my windows go down like a little bit when I open it
crap

MY vin says 93 though?

[BMW-ATI]

Went to Cars.com
supposubly 94's have 1 touch window thing
and 93's dont offer that

will I have the one touch feature

so why does my VIN say it's a 93?

also I read somewhere that says only 94's have sidemarkers, but i was looking on cars.com and some of the 94's didnt have sidemarkers


btw does anyone haver a pic of the factory plate that helps out the subframe from failing, that'll tell me if I have a 94 or 93 :lol:

[bavarianasian]

Originally posted by BMW-ATI@May 26 2005, 09:31 PM
Went to Cars.com
supposubly 94's have 1 touch window thing
and 93's dont offer that

will I have the one touch feature

so why does my VIN say it's a 93?

also I read somewhere that says only 94's have sidemarkers, but i was looking on cars.com and some of the 94's didnt have sidemarkers


btw does anyone haver a pic of the factory plate that helps out the subframe from failing, that'll tell me if I have a 94 or 93 :lol:

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why dont you try running the vin through like carfax or some similar title history checker. that should tell you what model year it is. and also youre probably right in assuming that the vin number year pertains to year of assembly versus model year.

[green325is]

You guys are crazy! Sometime later this year you can buy a 2006 new car right? Does that mean it was made in 2006? NO! My 1994 325is shows it was "produced" in 1993 and was built as a 1994 model. Make sense? LOL!

[BMW-ATI]

Originally posted by green325is@May 26 2005, 09:44 PM
You guys are crazy! Sometime later this year you can buy a 2006 new car right? Does that mean it was made in 2006? NO! My 1994 325is shows it was "produced" in 1993 and was built as a 1994 model. Make sense? LOL!

[snapback]348228[/snapback]

Thats prolly what it is,

any other tale tale signs of it being a 94 as opposed to a 93?
or any rebacking up any one's others said?

and the metal plate that they added to reduce the sub frame failures, what does it look like, anyone got a pic?

thx

[jshearer]

Look in the door jam and it will tell you the month and year of production, now that is the number you should go by. That is the year that you will need to know if ordering parts and such. I would not worry about it too much though.

[BMW-ATI]

where is the door jam

[e36surge]

Originally posted by BMW-ATI@May 27 2005, 11:16 AM
where is the door jam

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well... the door jam is located on the B-pillar. That would be the following location:

Open your door, driver door. Do not get in... stand by the opening facing the inside of the car. Take a knee, as in kneel to the ground and look to your right, you will see a sticker below the pin at which the door latches onto when the door is closed.... is that a good enough direction?

See the link below. Look for iteem #1. That is the B-pillar and you will find the vin number as well as fabrication date.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?mo...000&hg=41&fg=25

[BMW-ATI]

Alright mine is a 93 , weirdly it has some 94 qualities tho? hahah odd

[frank3]

Originally posted by jshearer@May 26 2005, 10:19 PM
Look in the door jam and it will tell you the month and year of production, now that is the number you should go by. That is the year that you will need to know if ordering parts and such. I would not worry about it too much though.

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I think you're wrong here. The year that it was produced is not necesarily the model year. It's the model year that you will need to know (primarily) when ordering parts. Occasionally, cars later in a model year will have some changes in them...in that case you'll ALSO need to provide the production date.

PS - I've got a '94 and my windows don't roll down 1/2 inch when doors are opened...I think that came in later models (or later in the 94 production cycle).

[Storamin]

My 1994 325is was made in 11/93 and sold as a 1994. The easiest way to tell a 1993 and 1994 is the bumper. The 1993 front bumper is all the same piece, while the 1994 bumper has front inserts in the middle. (Hard to describe w/out posting a picture)

[BMW-ATI]

can someone post a pic then?

[thekid]

What is the production date of your car. If it is late 93, then it is most likely a 94. If it is early 93 or late 92 I would bet it is a 93.

I'm sorry but this really should not be that difficult. The production date should be on the door jam or under the hood.

Or run the last 7 or your vin through here and see what it is if you can not find the production date. http://www.bmw-z1.com/VIN/VINdecode-e.cgi

If you are worried about it beacuse of parts just give them the last 7 of your vin and you'll always get the right part. If you are worried about it because of value, take the 94, that's what it is registered and insured as.