Wrong Spyder model associated with VIN number

[teninospyder]

Wondering if anyone else has seen this.

in changing insurance companies recently, I noted our 2014 RTL SE6 1330CC machine was shown as a RTL SM5 998CC. The VIN number is OK. In looking back at my prior policy I noticed it was the same error and the VIN is OK. Alright, my bad for the past.

I called my agent/broker for help in getting this corrected for this new policy as I didn't want any issues in the future if something should happen, and this is where the element of surprise comes in.

He explained The database that all agencies use for qualifying ANY vehicle is based on the manufactures' input into a master database "somewhere". The only people who can change it is the company that submitted the original data. He ran the VIN as we spoke and sure enough it shows the "wrong" info !

Sometimes keeping what looks like useless information about your vehicles and factory contacts pays off. In the early days of ownership, for some reason, I had asked BRP to send me info on the actual build of this Spyder. I have that info on their transmittal and sure enough it shows correctly what is on the unit. My agent and I are now "hoping" this will satisfy the underwriters and a policy with correct model info will be forthcoming.

Makes me wonder if any other owners have the same type issue and don't know it.

 

[Peter Aawen]

Little bit of a story here, but it does (eventually) get relevant!!

Waaaay back when I first tried to buy an RT Spyder, the (then, since gone down the tube) local dealer ordered me the RT I wanted, and quite a few months later, it arrived..... They did nothing for a week or so, then called me to say 'come on down at 2pm to collect it, bring money!'.... So down I went, over an hour's drive to get there, expecting to be on the road home maybe an hour later.... Only when I got there at the specified time, they hadn't even opened the crate!! So I got to watch the crate unwrapping, albeit with a growing sense of frustration and dismay!! And maybe juuust a little anger!

I'd ordered an RT Ltd with a bunch of options/accessories, fully aware it'd take a while to get there; but there I was, after waiting almost twice as many months as originally warned, at about 3pm on Christmas Eve, watching 'my' new Spyder get unwrapped, and the ONLY bloody thing that bore any relation to what I ordered was the colour!! :gaah: Yet all the details that showed up by checking the VIN on the 'bike, the crate, the delivery docs, EVERYTHING said it should be MY Pearl White RT Ltd SE5.... but it was clearly a base level RSS SM5, altho in BRP's defence, it was Pearl White!! (Musta been fun getting THAT down the production line! :shocked: )

I won't go any further into the ongoing saga that became my RT Ltd purchase, except to say that a few weeks later I ended up travelling over 14 hours into another State to get the RT that I wanted from another Dealer, AND for a substantially better price too! hyea:

But from that experience, it was clear to me that BRP had a lot of flaws in their vehicle identification & production processes! How'n the heck does a machine make it all the way down the production line with absolutely EVERYTHING on the VIN bar the colour wrong?! That is either a deliberate act or a major procedural flaw at the most fundamental level of the organisation! In either case, I have no doubt at all that there are other Spyders out there with the incorrect details on their VIN - in fact, unless it's already been found & corrected, there's almost certainly an optioned up Pearl White RT Ltd SE5 out there that has a VIN showing it's meant to be an RSS SM5...... :shocked: Altho on second thoughts, it's probably coloured in one of those 'special RSS only' colour combo's.... probly got the stripes & decals, too!

So tenino, I wouldn't be 'wondering' that if I were you.... it's almost certainly the case!!

 

[Freddy]

It's business as usual at BRP. :bdh:

 

[PinkRosePetal]

Weird, it's similar here too. We give the insurance company all the details, they accept them but when the insurance documents arrive the engine size is always 998. We phone them, they say, "That's strange but don't worry because we know that 2017 Spyders are 1330." They record everything so, hopefully, there will never be an issue... hopefully there will never be a claim either!

 

[JayBros]

Teninospyder, the VIN sticker on the left side of your Spyder's swing arm should have the manufacture date, MM/YYYY, on the top line in the right corner of the sticker. Your OP piqued my curiosity and I looked to verify that the mfg date on mine is 03/2014 and on the BRP safety recall lookup box results it shows mine listed as an RT S 1330 ACE SE6 C 14. If yours was manufactured earlier than 03/2014 it could be because in the history of the RTs the ACE engine was originally scheduled to be introduced in MY '13 but it was not quite ready and that's why the '13 RTs have the V-twin SE5 engine. If the mfg date of your Spyder is later than 03/14 I guess one has to chalk it up to horrible BRP manufacturing records.

 

[ARtraveler]

I ran into the same issues getting my new F3L insured. Input of the VIN stated another description of F3. They said they could not change it. So....I ran with what came up. Upside, I will pay less personal property tax because it is not showing a limited model. Shhhhhhhhhh :shocked:

EDIT: Update

I have a 2019 F3L SE6. Based on the correct VIN # that was input: The insurance company says I have an F3 T SM6

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

My GEICO policy only shows 2014 Can Am Spyder RT and the VIN. Nothing about the motor or trim level.

Tenino, just for the fun of it go here and put in your VIN. https://vincheck.info/check/vin-check.php. My VIN brings up accurate info except the trim level is listed as Limited, not RTS. Be interesting to see what they show for you. Maybe the insurance guy is jivin' you.

 

[UtahPete]

I've noticed that with RVs I've owned

 

[JayBros]

My GEICO policy only shows 2014 Can Am Spyder RT and the VIN. Nothing about the motor or trim level.

Tenino, just for the fun of it go here and put in your VIN. https://vincheck.info/check/vin-check.php. My VIN brings up accurate info except the trim level is listed as Limited, not RTS. Be interesting to see what they show for you. Maybe the insurance guy is jivin' you.

My Allstate policy just lists mine as a '14 RT-s, nothing about engine. VIN check lists it as an RT Limited, not an S but has correct engine and trans.

 

[Woodaddict]

my sister has an insurance agency......the databases of insurance companies are not to the level of actual info of the spyder's. its only close enough to be able to get a price to pay for the term of insurance!!!!!

 

[Yeochips]

Mine as well.

 

[teninospyder]

Teninospyder, the VIN sticker on the left side of your Spyder's swing arm should have the manufacture date, MM/YYYY, on the top line in the right corner of the sticker. Your OP piqued my curiosity and I looked to verify that the mfg date on mine is 03/2014 and on the BRP safety recall lookup box results it shows mine listed as an RT S 1330 ACE SE6 C 14. If yours was manufactured earlier than 03/2014 it could be because in the history of the RTs the ACE engine was originally scheduled to be introduced in MY '13 but it was not quite ready and that's why the '13 RTs have the V-twin SE5 engine. If the mfg date of your Spyder is later than 03/14 I guess one has to chalk it up to horrible BRP manufacturing records.

Your last suggestion is correct...….I have a BIG chalk stick for them. The build date on the sticker is 05/2014 !

 

[teninospyder]

JayBros,

Thanks for the site. THAT Site does show the correct info for mine. Too bad the site isn't the one my broker or insurance company uses :gaah:
hit or miss huh??

 

[ARtraveler]

Thanks to Idaho MS, the web site provided showed the correct information for my F3. Looks like State Farm has the wrong program. :roflblack:

 

[bushrat]

My situation is the same as ARtraveler: I own a 2017 F3Ltd, but my insurer insists on calling it an F3T. When I challenged the policy info with my insurer, I was told the same: "the registration program, based on info supplied by BRP, says your Spyder is an F3T", and they "could not/would not change the model designation in the policy unless/until BRP amended the input data". Obviously, BRP input info is in error, and equally obviously, it's not just one or two instances. However, since my insurance application was based upon a copy of my actual Spyder purchase contract, as supplied to the insurer, and as the purchase amount I paid for my F3L is stipulated in the policy, I'm not too worried about any loss being fully covered. I have done what I could to alert the company; they are "on notice". If they don't wish to amend the record, they can "wear it", and I'll damn well fight if I have to. I bought an F3L; I'm paying the premium charged to insure that higher value, whatever the damn insurer or BRP thinks. And, if it ever went to Court, I believe any sensible judge would be on my side. But, it does make one wonder about "quality control" and "customer service" at BRP.

 

[RTSJohn]

I just checked mine on that link and found it to be the as the one listed in quote. Link shows my RTS as an RT Limited.

My GEICO policy only shows 2014 Can Am Spyder RT and the VIN. Nothing about the motor or trim level.

Tenino, just for the fun of it go here and put in your VIN. https://vincheck.info/check/vin-check.php. My VIN brings up accurate info except the trim level is listed as Limited, not RTS. Be interesting to see what they show for you. Maybe the insurance guy is jivin' you.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

But, it does make one wonder about "quality control" and "customer service" at BRP.

I've maintained for several years now that one weak point in the BRP Quality Assurance program is documentation. There is a sometimes an appalling discrepancy between various portions within and between service manuals of the same and different years and between service and user manuals. They also don't always conform to usual nomenclature for parts.

 

[teninospyder]

my sister has an insurance agency......the databases of insurance companies are not to the level of actual info of the spyder's. its only close enough to be able to get a price to pay for the term of insurance!!!!!

So...….if your insurance company policy states your item (car, MC, whatever) as a vehicle that costs much less to buy or fix, and your Spyder is totaled, how much will they settle for on the payout value of YOUR spyder ?

 

[Woodaddict]

So...….if your insurance company policy states your item (car, MC, whatever) as a vehicle that costs much less to buy or fix, and your Spyder is totaled, how much will they settle for on the payout value of YOUR spyder ?

I can't answer that exactly...…..but they might have exact info on the model OR just close cause of there inferior database. would be up to you to show title, pics, etc, and argue over what model you have.

 

[bushrat]

So...….if your insurance company policy states your item (car, MC, whatever) as a vehicle that costs much less to buy or fix, and your Spyder is totaled, how much will they settle for on the payout value of YOUR spyder ?

tenino, I bought replacement cost (no depreciation) insurance, which protects me as regards original cost value for two years; so I didn't get overly concerned about a potential total loss of whatever model they 'think' my Spyder is. The payout for a 'write-off' claim within the first 24 months is likely to be exactly what I paid (based on original bill of sale), plus any improvements (substantiated by proven receipts). After that, depreciation will be what it is .... and that would likely be a negotiated figure... to be settled upon, using market re-sale values related to equipment features of the actual bike involved. Or, so I believe.