Walter

Good day,

In the process of purchasing a used 1993/1994 W124 Euro 320E, the unit seems ok except for the strange VIN, WDB1240321B927762. When checking the VIN at www benzworld.org, it displays the manufacturing date as 2001. Is this possible? We have verified the VIN and it is the one stamped in the engine bay.

Does U.S. and Germany have different codes for VIN that made it display the wrong manufacturing year?

miroj

It sounds like a Euro import. Dont quote me on it. The VIN is a real VIN like the Euro people use. The USA VIN is actually formatted the same except that it is encoded to look the way it looks in the USA. When you fetch the factory datacard for any USA vehicle the BUILD CARD has a vin the same format as the one you quoted.

WDB - CHASSIS - MODEL - FACTORY - SERIAL NUMBER

WDB-----124------032-------1B---------927762


Check this below if it matches.

Engine No.: 104992 12 014193
Transmission: 722369 03 834691

Interior 261
---------------

Special Version Codes
221 FRONT SEAT LH ELECTRIC ADJUSTABLE
222 FRONT SEAT RH ELECTRIC
240 OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE INDICATION
281 UNKNOWN CODE
412 ELECTRIC SLIDING ROOF WITH TILTING DEVICE
420 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
430 ENHANCED OFFROAD PACKAGE
440 TEMPOMAT
481 UNDER-BODY PROTECTION (SKID PLATE)
538 AUTO. ANTENNA AND SPEAKER,
544 UNKNOWN CODE
570 FOLDING ARMREST, FRONT
588 UNKNOWN CODE
592 ALL-ROUND WD-GREEN GLASS,
600 HEADLAMPS - CLEANING EQUIPMENT
611 EXIT LIGHTS FOR DRIVER
652 LIGHT ALLOY WHEELS 8-HOLE
731 WOOD TRIM, BURRED WALNUT
812 REAR END LOUDSPEAKER
855 TELEFON TELE AID AM
873 SEAT HEATING FRONT SEATS LH AND RH
199 NEW ENGINE MODEL M111
261A BLACK LEATHER / ANTHRACITE

cap'n jasper

VIN WDB1240321B927762
Model 320 E
Chassis 1240321B927762
Engine 104992 12 014193
Transmission 722369 03 834691
Order 0 2 575 01832
Approx. year 1992
Lights HELLA
Wiper BOSCH
Cab 01003
Dealer Soviet Union (USSR) (575)
Interior leather black or anthracite (261)
Paint
199 metallic blue-black (с 01.01.1983)
Options
221 left front seat, electrically adjustable (с 01.11.1978)

222 right front seat, electrically adjustable (с 01.11.1978)

240 outside temperature indicator (с 01.03.1982)

281 trunk set, (280 SL)
steering wheel with sports design (390 mm dia.) and gearshift lever in leather trim (с 01.05.1990)
steering wheel (390 mm) with sports design (с 01.03.1989)

412 electric sliding roof with tilting device (с 01.07.1983)

420 automatic transmission, floor shift (с 01.01.1963)

430 headrests in the rear (с 01.01.1977)

440 tempomat (cruise control) (с 01.09.1975)

481 undershields (с 01.10.1962)

538 automatic antenna and front loudspeaker - without radio set (model 500SEC with loudspeaker only) (с 01.10.1989)

544 roller blind, electric, for rear window and sun visors with vanity mirror on the left and right, illuminated (с 01.05.1985)

570 folding armrest front w202/210 stowage box front with armrest (с 01.04.1970)
front folding armrest w202 - housing at front with armrest

588 automatic climate control and electric window lifters (front and rear doors) (с 01.01.1977)

592 heat-insulating glass, all-around, heated rear window pane (laminated glass), band filter
green heat-insulating glass all round, heated rear window, laminated safety glass - tinted strip (с 01.01.1972)

600 headlamp wiper/washer (с 01.08.1971)

611 courtesy lamps for front and rear doors, with W124 also for central doors/W202 front doors only (с 01.11.1978)

652 8-hole light alloy rims (с 01.01.1990)

731 wood trim, burred walnut root (с 01.08.1980)

812 rear-mounted loudspeaker (с 01.11.1974)

855 telephone TELE-AID, Nokia, D-net

873 seat heater for left and right front seats (с 01.02.1984)

Walter

Yes, it is a Euro import. The owner advertised it as 1994 320E which was rather intriguing since the unit has a 1993 body and 1994 models should be labeled as E320 already. Were there still 1994 W124 in Europe that had the pre-facelifted grill and hood?

Is there a website where we can check for European VIN? Could not find a website thru Google.

Thank you for your reply.

Walter

You guys are amazing. Thank you very much. Where do you find these information?

cap'n jasper

Are you saying it has the old style front? That would fit with the build date of 1992.

Oh, and Russia is not in Europe!

Walter

Yes, it has the old style front.

The seller is probably a 2nd owner, he says it's from Germany since the markings are in German.

Actually have 2 options:

First is a 1993 280E W124 40T Km, fabric seats, have not seen the unit yet if it has power windows and seats.

And this one, 1993 320E W124 70T Km, all power option, power seats, windows, rear shade.

Price is almost the same for both, around US$12,500.

cap'n jasper

Are there a shortage of W124s in America? Why do you want an import?
The second one was registered new in Russia not Germany. If the seller doesn't know this how can he verify the mileage and history?
How do you know it wasn't used as a taxi or wrapped around a Russian lamp post or stolen.....etc...etc...
If you're in America buy an American one with the full history.

Walter

You guys are lucky there in America since you have a lot of choices. Here in Asia, it's quite a challenge to find a well maintained W124 at a reasonable price.

Thank you again for your help guys. Will check the VIN of the 1993 280E W124.

Walter

How about checking the VIN on this 1995 E300D? Wondering about it since it has only a single airbag and 1994 W124s already had dual airbags standard.

VIN WDB 124133 1C 211332

Thank you very much.

cap'n jasper

VIN WDB1241331C211332
Plant 50
Model E300DT
Chassis 1241331C211332
Engine 603960 12 053317
Transmission 722357 04 081416
Tyres
Primary GOODYEAR
Order 0 4 869 00074
Lights HELLA
Axle
Forward BE1491R1040435964324
Cab 00000
Delivery date 12.12.94
Dealer Philippines (869)
Interior leather blue (262)
Paint
149 polar white (T) (с 01.01.1992)
Options
033 Unknown code
221 left front seat, electrically adjustable (с 01.11.1978)

222 right front seat, electrically adjustable (с 01.11.1978)

249 automatically dipping inside rear view mirror (с 01.06.1990)

260 elimination of model designation on rear lid (с 01.05.1968)

280 steering wheel (400 mm dia.) and gearshift lever in leather trim; on W202 390 mm dia. (с 01.05.1984)

341 additional lamp (с 01.09.1982)

430 headrests in the rear (с 01.01.1977)

440 tempomat (cruise control) (с 01.09.1975)

481 undershields (с 01.10.1962)

490 elimination of windshield/washing-water heater (с 01.02.1988)

518 radio MB Exquisit without traffic news decoder, without RDS (с 01.07.1992)

531 automatic antenna (с 01.01.1963)

543 sun visor with vanity mirror, illuminated, left and right (с 01.11.1978)

551 anti-theft warning system (с 01.11.1978 по 31.03.1998)

585 Behr air conditioner and electric window lifters (front doors) (с 01.04.1970)

593 heat-insulating glass, all-around, heated rear window pane (single-sheet safety glass), band filter
green heat-insulating glass all round, heated rear window, single pane safety glass - tinted strip (с 01.01.1972)

652 8-hole light alloy rims (с 01.01.1990)

668

673 high-capacity battery (с 01.01.1964)

682 fire extinguisher (с 01.04.1970)

819 CD changer - alpine - in trunk (с 31.07.1992)

837 rubber mats on front floor and rear floor; with chassis, front only; with station wagon, including loading floor (с 01.11.1969)

866 Technical changes of modelling year 1995 (с 01.01.1994 по 19.10.1997)

880 closing system with infrared remote control (с 01.02.1988)

Walter

Thank you very much for the data. Really appreciate your help in my quest for a W124.

Have narrowed the list to the following:

1994 E280 43T Km $15,500
1993 280E 40T Km $12,700
1992 320E 73T Km $13,200

Still have to get VIN on the first 2 W124s this afternoon. The 1995 E300D would have been nice but friend is having 2nd thoughts on selling it.

Walter

Can I ask info on VIN WDBEA26D9NB634992

cap'n jasper

VIN data could not be found. Please re-check the VIN number.

Walter

Sir, it's a U.S. version, will recheck the VIN today.

bamberger_1

Hi,
I was reading the various posts about the cars which show up somewhere in Asia to be sold at exorbitant prices. I would not trust any of those sellers and cars. A W124 over 10 years of age with that low milage and no records obtainable are just not worth to look at. Here in Germany there are plenty of Eastern European people who buy any junk (accident, high milage, damaged... you name it) for less, and "fix" it somewhere in Russia, Bulgary or elsewhere, turn back the odometer, swap VIN's, swap engines and the rest of it. Cars of that age and the right milage go for approx $1.000- $2.000 into export to Eastern Europe.

Walter

Thank you for the advice Bamberger_1, did not purchase the 320E from Russia, the vehicle looke too "new".

Walter

Cap'n Jasper,

Finally found a good W124, 1994 E280. Please check the VIN, WDB 124028 1C 148980.

Thank you very much.