SL/R230: VIN/Year Help
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 19
Likes: 2
2004 500SL
VIN/Year Help
Hi,
Hope someone can help me with this. I am currently living in the middle east. I purchased a r230 sl500 from a friend a year ago. local paperwork shows it to be a 2004. It is also a Japanese model but with the steering wheel on the left side with headlights set for Left hand traffic. My intention is to import the car back to Canada when I move back in the next year or so. To import this car back to Canada it must be 15 years older from production date.
This and just general curiosity lead me to research the VIN number. To my surprise, running the VIN number online, leads me to believe its a much earlier number, which I don't mind as I wont have any more age restrictions for importing to Canada.
The online VIN decoders all tend to agree on the delivery date ( is that the same as production date?) but none mention the model year? My VIN number is WDB2304751F021897
Anyone have any thoughts on this? I have tried to email MB with no response. Would anyone know where at MB to contact for official details.
I have attached a front and back copy of the owners manual in Japanese
Thanks,
Markus
Hope someone can help me with this. I am currently living in the middle east. I purchased a r230 sl500 from a friend a year ago. local paperwork shows it to be a 2004. It is also a Japanese model but with the steering wheel on the left side with headlights set for Left hand traffic. My intention is to import the car back to Canada when I move back in the next year or so. To import this car back to Canada it must be 15 years older from production date.
This and just general curiosity lead me to research the VIN number. To my surprise, running the VIN number online, leads me to believe its a much earlier number, which I don't mind as I wont have any more age restrictions for importing to Canada.
The online VIN decoders all tend to agree on the delivery date ( is that the same as production date?) but none mention the model year? My VIN number is WDB2304751F021897
Anyone have any thoughts on this? I have tried to email MB with no response. Would anyone know where at MB to contact for official details.
I have attached a front and back copy of the owners manual in Japanese
Thanks,
Markus
Last edited by desertfox330; Oct 3, 2017 at 07:59 AM. Reason: add detail
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 28
Likes: 5
r230 2003
Vin number
According to this site your car is a 2001 model
Hope you have not paid a price for a 2004
https://www.vindecoderz.com/EN/check...2304751F021897
I belive this is a reliable site
Hope you have not paid a price for a 2004
https://www.vindecoderz.com/EN/check...2304751F021897
I belive this is a reliable site
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 19
Likes: 2
2004 500SL
Anders,
Thanks so much for your reply. I will give that VIN decoder a go as well. Its relatively low mileage and in good shape with recent work done on the top and ABC system and got it ata fair price...and its so much fun and nice to drive
Markus
Thanks so much for your reply. I will give that VIN decoder a go as well. Its relatively low mileage and in good shape with recent work done on the top and ABC system and got it ata fair price...and its so much fun and nice to drive
Markus
MBworld Guru
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 10,782
Likes: 1,011
NO LONGER ACTIVE
Your data card (http://benzbits.com/datacard/WDB2304751F021897.pdf) shows the "delivery date" (the date it left the factory) as May 31, 2002. I think this is a model year 2002. Model year 2001 production would have stopped by the end of April 2001.
