VIN / Window Sticker Discrepancy

[RedTikki]

Took delivery of a 2024 MY Performance on 03/31/2024 in NJ. There is an “A” in the VIN indicating it is from Austin but the window sticker said the Final Assembly Point was Fremont.

Has anyone else seen this? I’m curious because up until now I thought all the MYP had 2170s and were made in Fremont but the A in the VIN has me questioning this?

 

[Jonez]

Just bought two Y's (one performance) both "A"s in VIN and Sticker said Austin.

 

[DanDi58]

You have 2170's regardless. But I'd reach out to your delivery person via text and ask about discrepancy. I assume VIN matches?

 

[Goobers]

Took delivery of a 2024 MY Performance on 03/31/2024 in NJ. There is an “A” in the VIN indicating it is from Austin but the window sticker said the Final Assembly Point was Fremont.

Has anyone else seen this? I’m curious because up until now I thought all the MYP had 2170s and were made in Fremont but the A in the VIN has me questioning this?

Just bought two Y's (one performance) both "A"s in VIN and Sticker said Austin.

Are you sure you’re looking at the right letter A?

If it’s the 3rd spot, that’s part of the 3 digit manufacture code, likely 7SA. If it’s in the 11th spot, then that’s the plant location.

Everything up to the 11th digit is part of the car’s “loadout” ID, nothing particularly identifying. The last six digits (12th-17th) are the specific/unique serial numbers.

 

[RedTikki]

The A is in the 11th position of the VIN but my window sticker says this:

 

[RedTikki]

You have 2170's regardless. But I'd reach out to your delivery person via text and ask about discrepancy. I assume VIN matches?

Yes VIN on the car matches the window sticker. I assumed I had an Austin built Y when I took delivery based off of the VIN - but I just noticed the window sticker said ‘Fremont’.

 

[Goobers]

Maybe parts of it started assembly in Austin and the VIN was assigned, then it was shipped to Fremont for the literal "final assembly.

Could be done as a way to balance output... maybe one plant is faster at making certain parts that supply both.

If you think about it, a Model Y is mostly identical across trims, so it could be they built everything up that they could, then shipped it (in batches) to Fremont for the parts that were specific to the Performance.

Nowhere does it ever say for any manufacturer that it has to only be done in a single plant. It's just, for most companies, they typically only have a single plant in a given country or they're not setup to be worth cross shipping parts... or they assign VINs according to where they'll finish instead of where they started, etc. I'm sure there are plenty of possible reasons why we don't see this elsewhere, or maybe it's just not that noticeable.

 

[DanDi58]

Maybe parts of it started assembly in Austin and the VIN was assigned, then it was shipped to Fremont for the literal "final assembly.

Could be done as a way to balance output... maybe one plant is faster at making certain parts that supply both.

If you think about it, a Model Y is mostly identical across trims, so it could be they built everything up that they could, then shipped it (in batches) to Fremont for the parts that were specific to the Performance.

Nowhere does it ever say for any manufacturer that it has to only be done in a single plant. It's just, for most companies, they typically only have a single plant in a given country or they're not setup to be worth cross shipping parts... or they assign VINs according to where they'll finish instead of where they started, etc. I'm sure there are plenty of possible reasons why we don't see this elsewhere, or maybe it's just not that noticeable.

As a stockholder, I sure hope they are not doing this! I can't imagine what part wouldn't be cheaper to ship to the assembly point vs sending an almost entire car....

 

[Goobers]

As a stockholder, I sure hope they are not doing this! I can't imagine what part wouldn't be cheaper to ship to the assembly point vs sending an almost entire car....

Technically, I’m a stockholder too… all of 11 shares, bought recently.

I’m just throwing out possibilities. But the fact of the matter is, I don’t know.

Based on this thread (https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/what-motor-does-your-2023-model-y-have.293314/), I know that, at least some of the motors from the MYP are made in Austin, but what about the rest of the subassembly (wheel, axle, sub-frame, suspension)? My MYP is such, motor from Austin, but with a VIN and final assembly in Fremont.

How much does it costs to ship an entire car from Austin to Fremont vs all the parts needed from Fremont to Austin? Then tack on the fact you now need someone, if not something to install those parts and/or software. Can those things, which differ from everything else in the plant, just get injected into the assembly line for that specific car?

When we buy a car, we get charged some $1300 as destination fee, which is effectively shipping an entire car… is that what they would pay to ship most of a car from Austin to Fremont? Does whatever they actually pay really cost more than the combined cost of shipping parts to then find either people to install it off the line or track it down a line? If they could do whole batches, then why is it no MYP has a final assembly plant of Austin?

Are you a cost benefit analyst of logistics and production lines? I’m not, that’s for sure.

Of course that was assuming most of the car was assembled. What is it that actually starts getting the VIN assigned? I would’ve thought it was the motor (engine in ICE), since it’s one of the more important parts. But as I mentioned, my motor is from Austin, but the VIN is from Fremont… so clearly not that. The only other thing I can think of is the battery, otherwise it’s the body of the car, which leads right back to “shipping an entire car.” Because everything else is bits and pieces added to that body.