When Should You Use Model Year vs Generation vs Chassis Code?

"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind) 05/03/2016 at 21:28 • Filed to: Question

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When talking about cars in the enthusiast community, we tend to need more than just the model name. You cant just tell us you own a Corvette, we want to know which one. My question is when do you specify the model year vs the generation vs platform vs the chassis code? Give me some examples of each, especially within the same brand! Also, what are some cars where you don’t need to specify more than the model name alone because even enthusiasts don’t care.

Here are some scenarios that could be easily avoided by simply using the correct model descriptor:

I used to own a C/R.

- CR-What? CR-V? X?!!!.......z......?

You know, 7th Generation Suburban! Or a third if you’re going by Rounded-Lines.

- Which one is that?

From 1973 to 1991.

- I’m not picturing anything...

1987 Chevrolet Suburban.

- Oh yeah, my aunt had one of those! Did you do a lot of off roading?!!

Well of course not, I said C/R not K/V!!!

- Damn! Why all the attitude? Can’t expect me to know a damn Suburban!!

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

- Oh hey, just got an S550!

You got a Mercedes?!!

- No no no, the Ford. It’s a GT though!

YOU BOUGHT A FORD GT??!!1!!!11!

- Bro are you being cereal right now? I bought a new Mustang GT....

Oh...how the hell can you afford that??!!!1!1!!

jkm7680 > Wobbles the Mind 05/03/2016 at 21:32

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With German cars, I go all technical. With everything else, fuckit.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Wobbles the Mind 05/03/2016 at 21:32

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You should only use the chassis code when the community only refers to cars by the chassis code....

* stares at the entire Honda crowd*

Gone > Wobbles the Mind 05/03/2016 at 21:33

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I use chassis codes or Gen1,2 etc. S197, Fox, A-body (GM and Mopar), E, F-body, B-body, 4th Gen, C6, blah blah blah.

Big Bubba Ray > Wobbles the Mind 05/03/2016 at 21:36

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It varies. With BMW’s I always use the chassis code. I mess them up every once in a while but it’s a great way to distinguish between different model years. Porsches I use 993/996/991/etc. And Audi I use B4/5/6.

For American cars I usually use years. Like your example people can say “I owned a 19XX Suburban” and I know exactly what it looked like. Corvettes are by generation so C1/2/3/etc.

It varies so much that I jump around like crazy.

jkm7680 > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 05/03/2016 at 21:38

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B20 SWAP ON THAT EK YO *blows vape cloud in face*

d15b > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 05/03/2016 at 21:38

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I had an actual EG6, not an EG2 with a full B16A swap, with matching transmission and ECU. Glorious.

Birddog > Wobbles the Mind 05/03/2016 at 21:39

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Hey mang! I drive a 95 Ford Lobo.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > jkm7680 05/03/2016 at 21:39

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Without using google I couldn’t even tell you what the fuck an EK looks like...I could tell you that no one does b20 swap’s

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Wobbles the Mind 05/03/2016 at 21:40

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Calling the Mustang an S550 is something I’m never going to get used to.

Nibbles > Wobbles the Mind 05/03/2016 at 21:41

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Jeep guys are cuckoo about chassis codes

interstate366, now In The Industry > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 05/03/2016 at 21:41

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Hey, Nissan guys do it too.

jkm7680 > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 05/03/2016 at 21:41

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Oooh oohhh I know somebody who did!

Birddog > Gone 05/03/2016 at 21:42

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But Fox can be a few different cars. As can E-body, C-body etc.

You can’t just say you have a Plymouth B body or a Fox chassis. Which one?

scoob > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 05/03/2016 at 21:42

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brih, do u evn honda??

scoob > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/03/2016 at 21:43

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“Bro, I accidentally ran over somebody in my S550.”

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > scoob 05/03/2016 at 21:43

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not one bit...I keep myself out of the shit hole that is the Honda crowd

S65 > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 05/03/2016 at 21:43

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This An EK.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > jkm7680 05/03/2016 at 21:43

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shows how much I pay attention to the Honda community lol

PatBateman > Wobbles the Mind 05/03/2016 at 21:44

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With auto enthusiasts, you should always use year/make/model. After that, you should use options codes with a small description of what it means (to keep from embarrassing someone who doesn’t know as much about that particular model). For example:

“I own a 2015 Chevy Corvette with the Z51 performance package.” Obviously, you could omit the “Chevy” part, but note how I specified the Z51 as being a “performance package”.

Urambo Tauro > Nibbles 05/03/2016 at 21:45

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With good reason.

d15b > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 05/03/2016 at 21:45

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They did a long time ago. Match that with a GSR transmission and you’re good to go.

jkm7680 > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 05/03/2016 at 21:45

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It’s pretty bad tbh.

A lot of the Honda people that I know are extremely knowledgeable on Hondas but know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about anything else on the road. Plus they put the most obnoxious exhausts on their cars, like why straight pipe a base model ‘95 Civic?

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > jkm7680 05/03/2016 at 21:47

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I use to know a lot thanks to a group of friends I hung out with, but one of them got involved too much into drugs and I just fell off the face of the earth when it came to the Honda crowd. It is what it is...and OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO you’ll love the choices for exhausts for my Si (sarcasm)

jkm7680 > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 05/03/2016 at 21:49

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Like they were really nice people and all, but they just do the most questionable shit to their cars.

Urambo Tauro > Wobbles the Mind 05/03/2016 at 21:51

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Chassis codes are a kind of shorthand way of referring to certain cars, and is really only appropriate in the presence of other enthusiasts. Same with generations. Of course, we don’t have them all memorized, but if you’re hanging out with a bunch of BMW enthusiasts, feel free to say E39 or whatever. As for here on Oppo, we’re all different, but Wikipedia’s easily accessible.

But if your audience is not into cars, just stick with year/make/model.

Sweet Trav > Wobbles the Mind 05/03/2016 at 21:53

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I really only use Chassis Codes if I am talking to someone in the Industry.

Otherwise, its Make, Model, Year. Except for Corvettes which are “C1,C2, etc” (C7 is not a chassis code btw) or Classic cars “A-body, F-body, E-body, etc”

dogisbadob > Wobbles the Mind 05/03/2016 at 21:55

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You need the year (sometimes even month) on a forum about the car, especially if there’s a subforum for each generation.

Occasionally, some cars are introduced a mid-year changeover, and there are two generations made that year, and in that case, you need to identify the generation. One example is the 3-series, where BMW switched from the E36 to E46 during 99, so you have 99 E36's and 99 E46's. The newer gen is often, but not always, identified with a 1/2 (for example, a 2004.5 Volvo S40); the early E46's are not called 1999.5

Platform and generation are almost always interchangeable (for example, A32 is always the 4th gen Maxima). There are very few exceptions, like the Nissan Y33 platform which was used on a few cars where mechanical parts don’t always interchange. This should be distinguished from Ford’s Fox body, where the Mustang parts are very usable on Fairmonts.

Also, every time I see a Civic or Integra with an LS swap, I’m always disappointed it’s not a V8 :p

dogisbadob > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/03/2016 at 21:56

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AMG Cobra yo

dogisbadob > Birddog 05/03/2016 at 21:56

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Yeah, but all the Mustang goodies can be installed on a Fairmont. And how many Fairmonts are even on the road anymore? :p

OPPOsaurus WRX > Wobbles the Mind 05/03/2016 at 22:00

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you need to know your crowd and address them with what they would understand. Goes for any public speaking / conversation.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Wobbles the Mind 05/03/2016 at 22:00

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also blob eye is the best eye.

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > Wobbles the Mind 05/03/2016 at 22:02

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With older Toyotas, engine codes are the thing. Porsche is chassis code, Corvettes are C1/C2 etc, most other cars are by years.

interstate366, now In The Industry > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 05/03/2016 at 22:03

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I don’t hang out with Honda guys either.

McMike > Wobbles the Mind 05/03/2016 at 22:04

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Using chassis codes in a non-specific forum is annoying to me.

I have no idea that a “SS24r7&” is a 1997 Mustang. Just say “97 Mustang”

Same goes for everything else. Please say “NA Miata,” “C5 Corvette” or “2005 5 series”

Thank you.

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 05/03/2016 at 22:10

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I’d say another case is if there are just a lot of generations and it’s easier to say the chassis code. 911s and BMWs for example. If someone tells me it’s a 1980's 911 I have no idea which one that is. If someone told me it was a 964 then I’d know what they’re talking about.

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > Urambo Tauro 05/03/2016 at 22:12

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100% agree. If it’s a casual car enthusiast then year is best (although I must admit some cars I only know the chassis codes and don’t know their production years). If it’s a hard core enthusiast or a community setting then chassis codes are just easier to use. Everyone knows which model you’re talking about and it’s more slick.

Birddog > dogisbadob 05/03/2016 at 22:13

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Fairmont is French for Project that’s never finished.

You have a point though. Not too many T Birds or Cougars left out there either.

Urambo Tauro > Urambo Tauro 05/03/2016 at 22:18

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This is a big part of why I don’t like alphanumeric car names. I wish manufacturers would stick with actual names, like Deville . Leave “DTS” as some kind of code, chassis or otherwise, for us car nerds to use.

promoted by the color red > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 05/03/2016 at 22:23

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My dream Honda build is a K20A-powered DB8 with a FA5 muffler, DC2 ITR wheels, and DC5 ITR seats.

Chuckles > Wobbles the Mind 05/03/2016 at 22:28

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I use model year, make, model, and trim level 100% of the time. Any additional information can be provided in a follow up sentence Example: I drive a 2002 Honda Civic Ex Sedan. It’s got an automatic transmission and a 1.7 liter engine.

Most of the time I hear people using a chassis code in the real world or anywhere outside of a car specific forum, it just feels like they are trying to act like they are better than everybody else.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > promoted by the color red 05/03/2016 at 22:51

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See i acually understand that one lol.

Shift24 > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 05/03/2016 at 23:06

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What we do that? i mean hey I would love to have a cb9 with a UA9 setup because the j37A4 is a beast

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/03/2016 at 23:33

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I called the s197 the new edge, and the s550 the taurus coupe.

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > dogisbadob 05/03/2016 at 23:43

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It’s odd that BMW didn’t have an E4X family like E2X, E3X, or E6X. Only E46 came out.

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > Urambo Tauro 05/03/2016 at 23:45

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The E in the BMW codes stands for entwicklung or development. F is forschung I think.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Wobbles the Mind 05/04/2016 at 00:01

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Well my W123 Mercedes is a 1983, the 84 and 85 are different in some ways and they even have a computer. Mine is the last Mercedes with no computer and mechanical fuel injection. So the interior and body etc. is the same but certain engine parts and layout is different. The Z is an S30 but they call the 260 and 280 Zs S30 bodies too, but we all know there are major differences in the three variations of the S30 over the years that chassis was produced, actually the chassis is changed a bit so I don’t know if there was another chassis variation code.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 05/04/2016 at 07:12

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So, I’m good with 355 then?

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Urambo Tauro 05/04/2016 at 07:14

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Or, once you get into talking about the particular model I think it becomes acceptable to just throw around chassis codes.

Any attemps to change the subject must be preceded by a model name.

Nauraushaun > interstate366, now In The Industry 05/04/2016 at 08:31

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It’s not the same when it’s more well known. No one cares what an EG6 is, everyone knows about the R32 and the S13.

Nauraushaun > dogisbadob 05/04/2016 at 08:32

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Fairmont you say?!

Nauraushaun > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 05/04/2016 at 08:34

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Someone on here once referred to their Honda as an Si. Could be a Civic, Integra, CRX etc etc. Literally says nothing at all. I thought that was silly.

Honda fans right

Disclaimer: I can’t remember who it was and it might have been someone in this post

interstate366, now In The Industry > Nauraushaun 05/04/2016 at 08:58

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I don’t disagree. I try to refer to them as “nth gen” instead of the chassis code, but sometimes I’ll let “CD Accord” or something similar slip out. Although with the S2000 I’ve only ever heard the chassis code used to distinguish them.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Nauraushaun 05/04/2016 at 09:27

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I always do that lol..

Nauraushaun > interstate366, now In The Industry 05/04/2016 at 20:01

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Sometimes it’s hard to work on generations. Is the E46 3-series the 6th gen? Does all that New Klasse and 2002 stuff count towards that?

Chassis code seems to be a popular thing with the S2K. With the 300ZX though the Z32 has a Series 1, 2 and 3. So people use that. They’re all named by the same chassis code of Z32.

What’s with Silvia owners using Kouki to refer to a second generation S14 though?!

interstate366, now In The Industry > Nauraushaun 05/04/2016 at 21:24

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Yeah, generations can be hit and miss. Preludes are usually referred to by generation in North America, since for most of them we only had one chassis code. 4th gen Preludes had 3 chassis codes here, all corresponding to different engines. 4th gen owners will usually distinguish their car by trim level or engine, but occasionally they’ll refer to their chassis codes.

Kouki makes no sense to me either.

Nauraushaun > interstate366, now In The Industry 05/04/2016 at 21:54

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I’ve always referred to Preludes by generation+trim. 5th gen VTi-R for example.

I guess the rules get adopted differently based on the car. So the best you can do is be consistent with the community.

interstate366, now In The Industry > Nauraushaun 05/04/2016 at 22:45

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Yeah. Honda giving essentially the same trim level different names in other countries also doesn’t help. What you guys call the VTi-R is usually referred to as “base” here, since we didn’t get the non-VTEC model and it wasn’t officially denoted with a trim level when new. My 2001's owner’s manual just says “except Type SH” when differentiating something from the Type SH, which was the trim equipped with the ATTS torque vectoring system.

Nauraushaun > interstate366, now In The Industry 05/04/2016 at 22:49

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Wow! We got a few different engines over here, particularly in the 4th gen. Can’t believe you guys only had the most powerful!

interstate366, now In The Industry > Nauraushaun 05/04/2016 at 22:57

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Oops, was only referring to the 5th gen where we only got the H22. For the older ones we got multiple engines. The 4th gen had the usual F22/H23/H22 selection. Had a drink with dinner just now haha

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > dogisbadob 05/05/2016 at 07:20

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99.5 wouldn’t be right either, since all 99 sedans are e46 and all 99 coupe/convertible are e36