Where's my VIN?

[mr. shr]

Hi all,
I picked up my S430 on Sunday (private sale). Absolutely lovely car. (so far!!)

But can anyone explain why the VIN number is not at the bottom of the passenger side windscreen section. When looking from the outside, you can see the little oval 'cut out' where you would expect to see the VIN but it's blank!!

Any ideas? I've read that imported cars do not have the VIN stamped on the inside of the windscreen/dashboad location. Is this correct?
The guy I bought if from ordered the car directly from MB in Germany, but I didn't think that was classed as an 'inport' in the same sense as going through an inport company.

The car has a Full MB history so there doesn't seem to be an issue with the Dealer's servicing the car in the past. But I'm worried my local stealer might say it's an import, not uk spec............blah blah blah..........

Should I be worried about this?

Thanks for any help guys.

shr

 

[M6AJJ]

No idea why the Vin should not be there, but as the vehicle has a full MB service history, everything should be OK.

Ring or call in at the dealer, (stamp in the service book) and they will give you the Vin and history from their computer. Come to think of it, the Vin should be in your service book, and on the change of ownership documents.

It is also stamped in a couple of other places in the car and I am sure someone with more knowledge than me will tell you where.

Good luck with your new car.

 

[mr. shr]

No idea why the Vin should not be there, but as the vehicle has a full MB service history, everything should be OK.

Ring or call in at the dealer, (stamp in the service book) and they will give you the Vin and history from their computer. Come to think of it, the Vin should be in your service book, and on the change of ownership documents.

It is also stamped in a couple of other places in the car and I am sure someone more knowledge than me will tell you where.

Good luck with your new car.

Thanks for the reply M6AJJ.
You're right, the VIN is on the documents and in the service book and somewhere in the engine bay (although I haven't looked for that one yet).

But my concern was, why isn't there one in the window? I'm a right little paranoid android when it comes to this sort of thing. I just know my stealer will use this against me somehow!!!

 

[ba9rn]

You don't say its age, but the new S Class has VINs on:

• bottom of pillar on one of the front doors
• under a cover in central rear-seat armrest (pull armrest down; VIN is at the rear)

 

[kth286]

Post the VIN on here and someone will check who the supplying dealer country was.

If it was a German dealer, then I guess it was an import.

If it was a UK dealer, then not an import.

Await your VIN.

 

[mr. shr]

Post the VIN on here and someone will check who the supplying dealer country was.

If it was a German dealer, then I guess it was an import.

If it was a UK dealer, then not an import.

Await your VIN.

I entered the VIN in that Russian site last night. (Car is at home so can't give VIN at present)
It came up as the Dealer being Hamburg. The guy I bought the car from says he ordered the car directly from MB and went over to Stuttgart to pick it up.
I was hoping this didn't mean import, as the car was ordered dirctly from MB specifically for a UK customer. But I would have thought the VIN would still be in the window.

The car is a September 2000.

 

[mlc]

I looked at a number of cars before buying my 2001 s320, including a 2000 S430. All of them had the VIN in the windscreen.

Call me a silly old fool, but I wouldnt consider buying any car that I couldnt match the VIN in the log book to the that on the car AND HPI it as well.

Mark.

 

[mioba]

some import cars dont have the vin in the windscreen.

your vin will be on a sticker on the drivers door pillar,

stamped onto the fuse box thats under back seat bench, where the footwell lights are. cant remeber if its L or R side

 

[kth286]

If supplying dealer is Hamburg, surely it's an import.

 

[carabind]

What's on the V5 ? Does it mentioned being imported ? Generally, the UK dealer on registration states that its new. I think that if you request to pick it up from the factory, then its given tempory plates to get you to the ferry?
Is there any paperwork relting to the original purchase ?

 

[mr. shr]

your vin will be on a sticker on the drivers door pillar,

Just found this one and it is the same as is on the MOT certificate and on the TRACKER installation form so that's slighty reassuring.

The VIN is 2200702A154312

 

[mioba]

from the vin details it was sold to the dealer hamburg, i would assume the guy you brough it from just went to germany and ordered it from the hamburg dealership then brough it to the UK ASAP.

 

[mr. shr]

from the vin details it was sold to the dealer hamburg, i would assume the guy you brough it from just went to germany and ordered it from the hamburg dealership then brough it to the UK ASAP.

So it is an import?

But have I got anything to worry about? I've just been reading through some other threads on here regarding imports. It seems that there is no problem for UK drivers having an imported car. You just get one year less on your warrantee. But as my purchase is a six year old car, that doesn't affect me anyway.

I have been getting really paranoid about all this import stuff cos a few years ago I went in to a Dealer enquiring about a price on a C240. When I mentioned that I could get the same car with the same spec for about 3-4k less if I went to an import company, the sales man turned from Mr. nice guy to Mr. get out now, please!!!

He was saying that the specs are different to UK cars etc. I think he also said that they wont services an import for some reason or another.

But I've heard from other people (and here) that they cannot refuse to service your car soley on the basis that it's imported. After all, it's still an official Mercedes-Bena product.

I agree that they act like this to scare you out of buying the import, so you buy from them.

So I shouldn't worry, right?

 

[Rory]

So it is an import?

Of course it is. It was personally imported and not bought in the UK from one of DC UK's franchiesed dealers.

But have I got anything to worry about? I've just been reading through some other threads on here regarding imports. It seems that there is no problem for UK drivers having an imported car. You just get one year less on your warrantee. But as my purchase is a six year old car, that doesn't affect me anyway.

It less and less of an issue as the car gets older. I would say you may have issues with Mobilo (if you intend to rely on that) as the coverage offered on German supplied cars may be different to what's available on UK cars. But the coverage changes from time to time anyway.

I have been getting really paranoid about all this import stuff cos a few years ago I went in to a Dealer enquiring about a price on a C240. When I mentioned that I could get the same car with the same spec for about 3-4k less if I went to an import company, the sales man turned from Mr. nice guy to Mr. get out now, please!!!

Only because he's paid on commission so why should he waste time & energy on someone who's going to buy a car elsewhere.

He was saying that the specs are different to UK cars etc. I think he also said that they wont services an import for some reason or another.

But I've heard from other people (and here) that they cannot refuse to service your car soley on the basis that it's imported. After all, it's still an official Mercedes-Bena product.

Again, spec's change from over time - who would know the exact spec of a 6 yr old S Class? And how old will it be when you come to sell it?
I doubt a dealer would refuse to service it - Service is run as a separate cost centre and they'll be glad of the business. However a good indie might be a better bet on 6 yr old car.

I agree that they act like this to scare you out of buying the import, so you buy from them.

So I shouldn't worry, right?

No.

 

[mioba]

the whole import scenario is a smokescreen in my opiion, look at this way.

All the cars, are made in the same factory, using exactly same components, by the same people,

All that makes it an "import" is where it is first sold.
my w220 is alos an import, i purchased it approved used from a dealership, the spec was also significantly higher than a UK equivalent! and i got the approved used warranty (i managed to get 2 years) so i am not at all concerned its an import and i dont think you should be either!