So I might be taking a trip up to Stockton to see some family members in the area and I wanted to see if I could run by the old dealership that originally sold my 300E back in 1991. I found out from the VMI it was "Classic Imports LTD" in Modesto. I looked up this dealer and of course they're no longer around and there isn't any info about it on the web that I can find. I thought maybe I'd try my luck on here and see if anyone possibly had heard of this dealership and maybe knew where it once was... You know how us old Benz enthusiasts try to piece together the history haha Anyways any info would be appreciated!

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2007 BMW 328XI

That's quite a coincidence to see this, as I myself spent most of this morning and afternoon in Modesto, which is over 100 miles away from where I live. It was an informal car club gathering and there were some MB owners there who are locals and might know something. I am going to meet some of them for a drive that begins near Manteca on Saturday and could ask them about whatever you want to know.

Which is what?

Anyway the current MB dealer is on Auto Row on McHenry Street a few miles east off the freeway 99 is how you get there. I forget which offramp it is...

The new name of the local dealer is Mercedes-Benz of Modesto now. Big sleek new facility in the "Auto Mall" area there.

Maybe there might be some old timers in the parts or service department area that might remember where it was and who worked there back then.

Sorry this isn't much help but it's all I have.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

A couple of suggestions if you don't get a hit.

First, try calling MBUSA and see if they have records of it.

Second, contact the City of Modesto, try the planning department and the business license division. One of them should have it in their archives.

Good luck, detective.

Thanks for the replies guys! Jim if you can mention it to them on Saturday that would be awesome, pretty much if anyone knows were it once was. I'd just like to drive up and maybe take a picture with it on the property if possible. You know I haven't been up north in ages... I think 2002 was the last time I was in San Fran and Manteca and we flew... I just remember it being really open and farm-ish.. Hoping to drive up soon, I've driven to Texas like 5 times but have never driven to northern California... go figure haha

Can't know, thanks for the reply, if all else fails I'll take this route, I'm sure either MB or the city has to have the records..... Be kinda fun to going searching for info haha

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2007 BMW 328XI

As of November 1993 (date on back page of MB dealer directory from my 1995 E420 records) Modesto European @ 3900 N. McHenry Blvd. was the name and address of the dealer then.

Mercedes Benz of Modesto, and its new building is STILL located today at that very same address, 3900 N. McHenry Avenue, and in fact I went in there about a month ago. So a pretty good chance that is the actual location where your car was sold when new. Maybe the VMI got the actual dealer name slightly wrong. But the 5 digit dealer code, on your VMI, if it is the same now as back then, would tend to show it was the same place for sure.

I also have a 1985 MB dealer directory I obtained at a pick 'n' pull up in Washington last year on vacation and for 1985 there was NO Mercedes Benz dealer in Modesto at the time.

You could search out ficticious business names at the Stanislaus Co. Court archives, for those earlier years, and see what comes up, too.

Also, I have one of them in my 1991 560SEC, for about the time your car was delivered, but the car with that one is at the shop, and I can't go check it just yet. That car was delivered new in December 1990.

Meanwhile, you could ALSO perhaps check the County of Stanislaus's County recorder office in the grantor/grantee indices to see if the name in VMI gets a hit on the name mentioned in the VMI. Or Modesto European, for that matter too.

Typically those records can be searched by the public for no fee, and they are on old microfiche tape reels you load and wind up into the viewing machines so you can look at the documents; typically the address and name would appear in the upper left hand corner of the first page below where it says "After recording return to the following address"

Another place to check, is at the City library, the old business directories are often kept year by year. They are like Yellow pages, and work the same way.

Good luck.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

FWIW 3900 N. McHenry is MB of Modesto.

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

I was thinking you had just gone nuts and were having delusions, but then....

I found this.....

SET Modesto CA Classic Imports Dealership Metal License Plate Frames Embossed | eBay