Stupid me? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

dlssmith · #1 03-16-2007, 12:20 AM

I just discovered that my MB 99 E320 is in fact a 98. I believe it was sold as a 99 to the original owner. I am the second owner. It has a lot of records and of course the owners manual and all of that. All the documents and even the receipts from the original dealer for various services early on refer to it as a 99. But the plate on the door jam states that it was delivered in July of 98. It was sold late in the year, to the original owners. I can't contact them, and I don't have the original sales docs.

It was represented to me as a 99 by the dealer I bought it from. I'm not sure if I should be pissed off about it or not. I am trying to decide.

Did MB purposefully represent this car as a 99, after August when the new models were released?

BENZ-LGB · #2 03-16-2007, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlssmith

I just discovered that my MB 99 E320 is in fact a 98. I believe it was sold as a 99 to the original owner. I am the second owner. It has a lot of records and of course the owners manual and all of that. All the documents and even the receipts from the original dealer for various services early on refer to it as a 99. But the plate on the door jam states that it was delivered in July of 98. It was sold late in the year, to the original owners. I can't contact them, and I don't have the original sales docs.

It was represented to me as a 99 by the dealer I bought it from. I'm not sure if I should be pissed off about it or not. I am trying to decide.

Did MB purposefully represent this car as a 99, after August when the new models were released?

Delivered on July 1998? Or built on July 1998?

Technically it may be a very early production 1999.

My 1998 E320 was built on April 1998, making it a late production 1998.

Can you go to the dealer and get the VMI (or is it VIM?). that should have the build date.

It is a crime, at least in California (but perhaps also Federally) to register a 1998 car as a 1999.

Let us know what you find out.

#3 03-16-2007, 12:38 AM

FWIW, in the old days('50s), MB used to title the car the year it was sold and not the year it was made.

The VIN number will tell all.

The tenth digit represents the model year.

A 1998 model will have a "8".

A 1999 model year will have a "9".

It could be a very early production 1999 model year, built in July of 1998.

Believe me, I wasn't happy when I found out my 1987 Jeep Wrangler was built in May of 1986.

Then I thought about it, and figured that condition is paramount and as long as the model year is what it was represented as, I would enjoy the car.

Let us know what turns up.

dlssmith · #4 03-16-2007, 12:38 AM

The delivery date on the door jam is July 98. In the service booklet the Pre-delivery Inspection Confirmation page is signed by some one at the original dealer on 8/24/98. It appears to have been sold to the original owners on 11/14/98.

bhatt · #5 03-16-2007, 06:10 PM

The date on the door jamb is the month/year of MANUFACTURE, not the model year.

There was a cutoff point (May? June?) of each year where they started production of the new model year.

If your door jamb says 98 and all of the title/registration documents say 99, I'm 99.999% sure it's a 1999 unless there was a major mistake made (very rare!) by the dealer, Mercedes, AND the DMV.

BAVBMW · #6 03-16-2007, 07:12 PM

Aside from the VIN number, 10th digit, which in your case should be either W or X for '98 or '99 respectively, the easiest way to tell is by reading the underhood emmision sticker. It will tell you which model year standards your vehicle conforms to, and is considered one of, if not the, most official designators. At least by the state of CA for smog/registration purposes.

Those who have posted before are correct that the door date is date of manufacture, which can vary quite a bit from model year. The Manufacture date is important to the Feds for safety standards and the like, but is not a true indicator model year.

Check the VIN, it's quick, easy, and dang near never wrong.

MV

DslBnz · #7 03-16-2007, 07:16 PM

Pop the hood and check.

If there is no clutch fan (or massive oversized cowl) and no auxilliary units ahead of the radiator but with just a single electric fan aft of it,
its a '99.

If your spare tire is a black wheel, and not the same as the other 4 alloys on your car,
its a '99.

If your car came equipped with side curtain airbags,
its a '99.

If your radio the same unit used in the 2000 + model 210s,
its a '99.

Lots of clues to confirm the MY.

Hatterasguy · #8 03-16-2007, 07:27 PM

So what, thats common?

My moms Rav4 is a 2007, but was probably built in the middle of 2006 and we took delivery of it in late October. Its still a 2007.

Cars are always delivered one model year ahead, heck you can probably buy 2008's now.

dlssmith · #9 03-18-2007, 05:29 PM

Ok, the consensus, according to the various criteria posted here, makes it a 99. I was ordering a part from Roy and we couldn't find it in the 99 schematic, but did find it in the 98 version. At some point this particular part was changed, a little later in the model year.

I was concerned because I didn't want to have to explain whether it's a 98 or 99 or try to document some dealer mistake, if I should ever decide to sell the thing. Alas, all is well.