vin year code

[pfc]

Last year I bought a new E280 from the local Inchcape Mercedes dealer. On looking at the VIN number the tenth character is a '2'. This I understand means that it is a car built in 2002. How can this be so?

How can they sell it as a 2006 car?

Any thoughts anyone.

 

[television]

Hello Peter and welcome to the forum.

Feed your VIN number complete with the WDB and the rest of the numbers into the link, and you will see the original order for your car that you can print off, it also shows the extras on the car.

http://www.mbclub.ru/mb/vin/index.html?lng=eng


Malcolm

 

[pfc]

Thanks Malcolm but I tried that and it didn't come up with an answer. It said that it could be because it was a 2006 number.

Curious?

 

[television]

Well at least you know that it is a late car.


Malcolm

 

[mioba]

another way is to look at the data card in the back of the service book
code:
801, 01 car
802, 02 car
803, 03 car
806, 04 car

and so on

remember the build date can be different from the year of registration

 

[DC_insider]

The russian VIN site doesn't work properly with very recent numbers.

The E280 petrol and the E280 CDi diesel (I'm not sure which one yours is) were only introduced in 2005 so it can't be older than that.

 

[pfc]

another way is to look at the data card in the back of the service book
code:
801, 01 car
802, 02 car
803, 03 car
806, 04 car

and so on

remember the build date can be different from the year of registration

Not sure where to find these numbers on the service sheet. There is a 806 number in the options codes.

 

[pfc]

The russian VIN site doesn't work properly with very recent numbers.

The E280 petrol and the E280 CDi diesel (I'm not sure which one yours is) were only introduced in 2005 so it can't be older than that.

Sorry it's an E280 V6 petrol, super smooth and quite, and the 7 speed automatic gearbox is magic. Overall fuel consumption for the first 6000 miles was 30 mpg. Only taxi drivers need a diesel.

 

[type49]

I think the "2" you are refuring to ( the seventh number before the letter), means right hand drive, "1" means left hand drive.

 

[mioba]

Not sure where to find these numbers on the service sheet. There is a 806 number in the options codes.

804 04
806, 06 then

sorry about my typo

 

[pfc]

I think the "2" you are refuring to ( the seventh number before the letter), means right hand drive, "1" means left hand drive.

It is the 7th number, but the 10th character. If you look at this Autohaus website it specifies characters:

http://www.autohausaz.com/mercedes-auto-parts/mercedes-vehicle-identification-numbers.html

 

[type49]

I'm not sure if that site is 100% correct. Forgetting your first 3 letters ,(WDC/WDB) you will have 211, this is the model (latest E class), then 3 more numbers. The first is body style, 0 for saloon, 2 for estate, 4 for convertable, 7 for sporthatch (203 only). Numbers 5+6 are for engine type ( many variants). Number 7 will be either a 1 or a 2 (left and right hand drive). Then a letter - I think this is transmission. The last 6 numbers will be your build number of that type of car - eg( E-class estate,2.8 petrol, auto, right hand drive number 653423)

 

[pfc]

I'm not sure if that site is 100% correct. Forgetting your first 3 letters ,(WDC/WDB) you will have 211, this is the model (latest E class), then 3 more numbers. The first is body style, 0 for saloon, 2 for estate, 4 for convertable, 7 for sporthatch (203 only). Numbers 5+6 are for engine type ( many variants). Number 7 will be either a 1 or a 2 (left and right hand drive). Then a letter - I think this is transmission. The last 6 numbers will be your build number of that type of car - eg( E-class estate,2.8 petrol, auto, right hand drive number 653423)

Thanks for the info. Maybe Mercedes are different. The '2' checks out as 'estate' and the middle letter is 'A' Still looking for a year character though.

Did a quick component check and it all points to June/July (week 27) '05. Six months before I got it.

 

[television]

Thanks for the info. Maybe Mercedes are different. The '2' checks out as 'estate' and the middle letter is 'A' Still looking for a year character though.

Did a quick component check and it all points to June/July (week 27) '05. Six months before I got it.

Thats OK,nothing wrong with that.

Malcolm

 

[Rory]

the 7 speed automatic gearbox is magic.

The 7 speed box was only introduced a couple of years ago, at most.