Has anyone encountered a W123 with the VIN X'd out and replaced below he original
 

The pic is from over on benzworld.org. It is from a 1984 W123 230 CE

What I think is interesting is that the re-stamped numbers begin and end with a stamped Mercedes stars and if you enlarge and look at the other pictures you see that the new stamping is lined up perfectly and the impressions are even.

Not at all how it would look if it was hand stamped by someone.

Besides on the windshield pillar where that aluminum tag is, are there any other place where the vin number would be stamped?

https://www.benzworld.org/threads/hello-from-malaysia.3117241/#post-18574335

found another example on the web

https://www.jsbcycle.com/benz_stuff/altvin.jpg

It looks to me like the person at the factory made a typo and they "reprinted" the correct VIN. I think it would look fishier if they actually sanded it out instead of just using the X.

I have seen, mostly in older serial number cars, where CHP will give a modern day 17 digit vin. The other thing I've seen is VINs assigned to imported cars. Although neither of these would have the MB logo flanking the sides.

Thanks to both of you.

If you went to the benzworld site, you find that the guy bought a car and shipped it to Mylasia and they won't register it to him due to the x'd out VIN.

That's no fun. I wonder if they have a bonded title type process seeing as the car isn't stateside any more.

It does not sound like he had any idea of the buyer beware issue nor what his own government was going to want from him and the car.

I asked the owner if they would let him have the car for parts or if they would let him ship the car to another country in the region that does not care about the title of the car. I think what we called Burma is like that. Maybe Vietnam.

I suspect that in Mylasia there is some companies that specialize in that sort of transactions. It might have been better if he had paid one of those companies to handle it. Also, in some foreign counties that type of company knows what officials to approach and in fact sometimes pay off to get processes expedited.

I've seen this on a DOT spec 190e 2.3-16.

A communication from Mercerdes describing this policy might help. Logically at least to me. If the car was illegally tampered with. Doing it this way would tend to be brainless. May be other vin numbers on the car as well.

Would not hurt to ask Merrcedes that as well if no response to that question of another vin on the car occurs. Just describe your problem and they should help hopefully.

Email is cheap from your location or through a dealer in your country. After all they may have unitentially not thought through that this might be a problem for owners.

Not so nice to hear that officials and regulations are so widespread across the world. If that is not a growth industry nothing is.

You also might get lucky by just showing the contents of this thread to them. It verifys that this practice by Mercedes is a known situation. Perhaps even the dealer in your country could verify that as well.

What bothers me a little.The people that you are dealing with could have made a phone call to mercedes at least.

Yet to be fair there are a lot of stolden cars being moved internationally. Common sense is also it will not be done with something as old as that car. Or vin alterations done in that manner.

My 78 123 has that too!. My local car inspector told me its quite common to see on old benzes.