SL/R129: VIN question
#3
Does not work
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#4
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'87 560SL Sold, '99 SL500 For Keeps
The decoding service is for the US only. As such, it requires the US VIN format, 17 characters (numbers/letters). Anything else will fail.
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Last edited by BJonesFL; 08-18-2013 at 11:59 PM. Reason: correction
#5
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1998 SL500
That is a European ISO 3779 format VIN. It does not seem to decode properly on most VIN sites however the Russian parts site shows it as follows:
![](http://www.paladinmicro.com/SL500/images/WDB1290761F172426VINDCodRuss-01.jpg)
A 1998 SL600.
The ISO 3779 VIN format decodes WDB1290761F172426 as:
WDB = World Daimler-Benz
129076 = the vehicle descriptor
1F172426 = the vehicle identifier
![](http://www.paladinmicro.com/SL500/images/WDB1290761F172426VINDCodRuss-01.jpg)
A 1998 SL600.
The ISO 3779 VIN format decodes WDB1290761F172426 as:
WDB = World Daimler-Benz
129076 = the vehicle descriptor
1F172426 = the vehicle identifier
#6
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'96 SL600, '05 S55 AMG, '06 C230
Now that the VIN has been decoded, I wouldn't be as concerned about a grey market 1998 as I would be for a grey market 1978. Things have changed dramatically over time. Also, it's possible that the 1998 was simply imported by someone who purchased the SL through a European dealership. (Not to be confused with the No. Am. version of European factory delivery.) It may simply be a legitimate Euro-sold SL that has migrated to the US.
Cheers,
Jeff
Cheers,
Jeff