cbpeck

Here's a dealer photo of the wagon that I just purchased. The wheels are the standard factory wheels, but with a chrome finish.

Does anybody know if MB could have chromed the wheels at the factory? Is it more likely that they were chromed at a later date by one of the owners?

Thanks.

Musikmann

As far as I know MB did not chrome any of the W210 wheels.

www.usarim.com

no they did not chrome those at MB they are a factory wheel but were done at a later date you can verify by calling your local MB service advisor give him the last 6 of your vin and they can tell you how that vehicle came unless the origional dealership made changes to it as a dealer add on.

cbpeck

Thanks for the responses. I've pulled the datacard for the car, but there are unlabeled SA codes on it that I don't recognize. One of them could indicate chrome wheels, but I kinda doubt it. I think the wheels were probably chromed at a later date. I kinda like them, but they weren't a factor in the purchase decision.

I'm still anxious about having purchased this car sight unseen. I know it was a bit of a gamble, but if the car is as clean and mechanically sound as I've been told that it is then we should have a great car on our hands. Now I just have to wait the 7-14 days for delivery.

ohlord

professionally inspected? Do you have recourse if they missed something major?
What did you pay for the unseen gem?
Inspect,inspect,inspect..........
MB never sent them out with chrome chrome were dealer installed options and mercedes frowned on them they leak,chip,rust.
Dealer did not care they just saw a way of easily lifting 2grand for chrome rims out of chumps wallets

cbpeck

The car is being sold by a MB dealership and received the majority of its service there, including its most recent service, upon which everything was given a clean bill of health. I thought about asking an independent shop to look it over, but that seemed a little backwards. I have a lot of the car's service records & three dozen photos. Everything indicates that the car's previous owner took excellent care of it.

What I paid for the car is really my business, but it was fair, based upon the car's condition. You never steal an excellent car from a dealership. If the car turns out to be less pristine than advertised I may have overpaid a little. We won't know until it arrives.

There is always an opportunity for recourse.

I'm disappointed to hear that the chrome wheels were known to chip, rust & leak. Hopefully these will be fine. We'll see.

Palermo Len

I wouldn't sweat the chrome wheels. My '99 wagon has chrome wheels and they have never chipped or rusted. My daughter was the second owner of the car and it came with the wheels.

cbpeck

Good to hear. I actually like the way they look. They match the chrome trim on the car's body, but aren't as flashy as oversized after market wheels.

If the chrome wheel finish was a dealer option that didn't originate at the MB factory then it sounds like dealerships sent the wheels out to be chrome plated at local shops. If this is the case it stands to reason that some chrome plate jobs may have been better executed than others.

ejsheltra

Most accurately true. There are many levels of quality plating out there. As one who Scuba dives with old USDivers double hose regulators which are chrome plated over nickel on a brass housing and in a salt environment since 1969, I can attest that chrome will hold up. Mine are flawless save for a few scratches from time yet no chipping. My car also has chrome wheels since new from Europe with no chipping. It is best to keep them for nice weather use and run something else for winter months if in the snow belts where various forms of salt or CaCl are used to extend the life of the finish.

ejsheltra

It looks like you have the xenon headlamp option too. Nice looking car. Java interior?

cbpeck

Yep, Neve White over Java & Palomino interior, Xenon w/ washers, heated seats, navigation and Bose sound, chromed wheels (dealer option)... all the bells & whistles, so far as I know. Only 83k miles too.

ejsheltra

My paint code for the exterior calls it Alabaster white w/ Java interior. Sounds like you got it fully optioned. Very nice ride.

cbpeck

My 2000 wagon's datacard says the following:

143U Neve White
214A

I think 214A is the Java with Palomino