Can one get a VMI report just by sending in an email request?
Or is proof of ownership required in person. My 14 hour work day does not allow me to do this at this time. Thanks in advance guys.

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What information do you need?

I am trying to fill a 5 year service gap from when the car was new (2001) to when I purchased it almost two months ago. Carfax did not have any service information prior either. This was a lease return and I was hoping the VMI would provide the service information if a Mercedes dealer did the work. More specifically, any of the several recall campaigns that were directed for this model/year. 2001 Mercedes S430.

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Sorry, forgot to add the VIN#WDBNG70J11A150129

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More than likely it's the luck of the draw. They have no obligation to provide this information, and so the dealer could simply just say it's proprietary information and say "no" and give you that blank stare.

Or all could be well with the world, that day, and the parts dept or service dept guy would print out the VMI for you.

The VMI will print out by code # the dealer where the car was first sold, (ie 5758 means Calstar Mercedes in Glendale Calif) and the dealer where each warranty repair was performed. If you are *really* lucky, and the stars were aligned right, you'll find out not only that it was at a dealer near you, and all the repairs were performed at that one dealer, AND the dealer might let you have photocopies of all the repairs done there. That's VERY unlikely to happen, because they will probably want to protect the "privacy" of the prior owner (or lessor in your case), or that's the default "excuse" that you can expect to hear.....

I got actually got a VMI for mine when I was at Calstar Motors in Glendale for service, on a trip to Los Angeles (where the car was first sold) but it was my first time there as a customer for anything, so the Mercedes Gods were smiling on me that day I guess.

So, it might work for you, but you'd have to do it in person. I don't think an email would cut it.

(Although, I once bought a 4 yr. old Volvo, from a Calif. Volvo dealer, and in
the glovebox, the maintenance booklet was stamped by a Houston, Tex. Volvo dealer, and on a hunch I wrote to them, asked for all the service records on the car, and INCLUDED A $20 bill in the letter "for their trouble and photocopying expenses" and they sent me copies of EVERYTHING, even the PDI inspection, with the prior owner's name and address. Following up on that I phoned the PO, who was a Stockbroker in Houston, and he told me everything about the car while he had it, and even mailed me an extra set of keys for the car and touch up paint! Amazing. Using the same technique , I sent letters to the other 2 indep. Volvo shops in Houston who'd stamped the maintenance booklet and also, from each, received all the service records on the car they had, so I was able to reconstruct the ENTIRE service from mile zero on a car. Learned it was leased, in Texas, then turned in to VOLVO NA at lease's end, sold to an auto auction in Phoenix, where a Volvo dealer in Calif. bought it, and that dealer sold it to me 6 months later. It was VERY reassuring, after a bit of effort, to reconstruct the entire history on the car.

Using similar methods, I achieved the same thing on the 560SEC, got the whole service history with copies for all work done on the car, except the period from Dec. 1990-April 1992, on the car.)

So, it CAN be done, if you are lucky and persistent.

Jim

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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 VMI is very much worth getting because it has a lot of useful information about the engine, transmission, paint, options, etc. It also has the warranty repair history but it has no service history. It will sometimes include goodwill repairs after the warranty expiration. It exists in the MBNA system and can be accessed equally by any dealer. The warranty repair listing will include the dealer number which may provide a clue as to where any dealer service was performed. There are no privacy issues on the VMI - there is no customer repair records on the VMI. I have never come across a dealer that would not glady provide a VMI. I have come across individuals who were not yet aware that it was OK to give it out but this is rather easily circumvented by going to a more experienced person at the dealership. I think an email lacks a personal touch. I would start with a phone call and perhaps you can talk someone into mailing it to you. On the customer service records more and more dealers are sensitive to privacy issues - but you can always try.

Thanks guys. Your information is very helpful. Gave me some ideas I have not thought of. Excellant!!! Happy holidays

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