Telling if w202 had an accident

[BigBadBenz]

Been looking at w202s, and owning one myself i have discovered thisre 2000 cars have leather embossed MB stars in the steering wheel. Post 2000 have metal stars. In cars where the airbag deployed after 2000, the steering wheel irbag is replaced and has a metal MB star which comes standard on all 2000 and after Mercedes w202s. I had a bad wreck with the 202 in 2001 and it had the leather embossed star, but was replaced with metal. So, am i correct to assume that all w202s built before 2000 with a metal star on the drivers airbag has been in a front collision? Does anyone know if this would also apply to any other model? Is it a discreat way of letting people know, or simply an eningeering change and the leather embossed airbags weren't avaiable from MB USA parts?

[riethoven]

That is a good question and I do not have a specific answer. But if you are looking at a car and you suspect it was in a collision, then take a look down the sides of the body for overall straightness and panel defects. Nothing brings a surface defect out like looking across the panel. If you see an abrupt change from one panel to the next such as the door to the rear quarter then you know the car has been hit.

You can also look for things like paint match and overspray.

[xvvvz]

Carfax You can often find people in the forums who will run the VIN for you if their subscription is still running or you can buy them yourself. I think you can pay for one-time or pay to get unlimited VINs within certain time period. If a wreck was bad enough for the airbag to go off, it was probably bad enough for a police report and/or insurance claim to be made. Insurance claims are very likely to show up on Carfax.

[manny]

FWIW, my 2000 has the metal star on the steeringwheel & it was never wrecked.
A good body repairman should tell you in 5 minutes ( or $ 10.00 ), if a car has ever had major body damage.