Chasis Numbers

[craigdm]

I'm a new MB owner, and browsing the fora I've seen posters being asked for the first 5 numbers from the VIN, but can anyone explain what these characters actually signify ...

For instance, my car would be WDB208.

Many thanks, in advance.

 

[Blobcat]

From the Vin No. you can get a lot of information. Some members use it to look for specific issues against a particular model - for that they need the WDB208 and the next three No.s
With the full VIN you can find out when it was originally delivered and the cost options that were fitted.
The 208 part of the vin denotes the model No.

 

[television]

Just adding a bit more,if you take say someones says "I have a EClass 320CDI" well there are 11 E320CDI cars all different, without the next three numbers it is impossible to check the Data Base for an exact problem.

Malcolm

 

[craigdm]

So, what could you tell me about WDB208365 ??

Am I right in saying that the 208 was the facelift version of the 207 ???

And if so, does the 208 suffer from the same rust problems as the 207 ??

 

[television]

First there was no 207 car,The serries started with the 208. Re the 208365, there are two CLK320's, yours and the 208465.

You have your question the wrong way round, If you had a problem with your car I would now know to search the 208365 and not the 208465, this way you get the correct infomation.

It would take a life time to serch for the differences, and that is not an option.

Malcolm

 

[daveenty]

Could the difference be because of the *facelift* they gave the CLK Malcolm?

 

[television]

Could the difference be because of the *facelift* they gave the CLK Malcolm?

Sadly the term face lift is not shown on any technical data, when cars are built and improvements made they are given a new number within that series.
though as you say it may be a face lift.
If you take the CLK180 Kompressor, there are 4 versions of that,as against 2 for the 320, so not easy to work out.

Malcolm

 

[craigdm]

Does all that mean that the 'face-lifted' cars are just as likely to suffer the rust problems as the earlier ones ??, or did they actually do any engineering modifications??

Thanks for all the info, I'm a some time automotive design engineer, so I like to have as much background as possible about my cars, if only for a professional reason.

 

[television]

Does all that mean that the 'face-lifted' cars are just as likely to suffer the rust problems as the earlier ones ??, or did they actually do any engineering modifications??

Thanks for all the info, I'm a some time automotive design engineer, so I like to have as much background as possible about my cars, if only for a professional reason.

There is no way to work out rust problems other than when MB say for instance that cars from xxxxx will have a different paint fro, xxxxx and this info would would not come up on the technical data. All of the differences are engineering and electronics.

Malcolm