Just curious what all the codes mean: I'm thinking that maybe the exterior and interior colors are listed, options, etc. and would like to have a breakdown or a website that could help determine their meaning...
My mechanic has worked on my car many times in almost 4 years and has never ever referred to the placard. Try calling one of the Mercedes parts at a dealership near you. Maybe they can provide a quick explanation of what the numbers are used for.
The placard is the "build list" for when the car was moving through assembly. It's got the engine #, tranny #, paint code, interior code, etc. The easiest way to find out about the codes (most of which are on that placard) is to use the Russian MB VIN site. Simply fill in your VIN, and most of the info will be shown.
Have fun with your new car-- and yes, do get it checked over by a good indy mechanic. Might as well change all the fluids (PS, trans, diff, coolant, brakes) now, too, just so you have a good baseline to start from.
Dave
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1990 560 SEL, 130K. Smoke silver (702) on cream ("mushroom") leather (265). Minor mods: Euro lights, blacked out grille, Pioneer headunit w/ Polk db650 rears/doors, db1000 fronts, rear "dummy" lights activated as brake lights, 35% bronze tints, 15" 8-hole wheels, keyless entry system.
1983 300SD, 106K. Orient Red (501) on Java MB tex (154). SOLD
The placard is the "build list" for when the car was moving through assembly. It's got the engine #, tranny #, paint code, interior code, etc. The easiest way to find out about the codes (most of which are on that placard) is to use the Russian MB VIN site. Simply fill in your VIN, and most of the info will be shown.
Very cool; one item of interest is the interior and exterior color 'names'. I thought in the USA I had Desert Sand Metallic with Palomino interior. The website shows it as impala metallic (с 01.01.1986 по 31.12.1992, с 1994) exterior with an interior of leather light brown / java (274).
Were the names actually listed as something different in other parts of the world?
Pine green-- oooh, that sounds nice-- any pics? (but don't change the avatar-- I always like the distraction)!
D
Definitely not changing the avatar. It even distracts me when i'm posting.
I need to borrow my wife's new digital camera and finally take some shots of my car. I've had it now almost 4 years and not one picture. Considering all the work i've done to her that would be nice!!!
I recall seeing somewhere that there was minor change in colors/names when the 2nd gen. cars came out in 1986, and this might be why there's a difference in what you've heard. I also think the names of the colors have become mixed up a bit over time because people have simply called the colors what they have heard before. I though I had a "parchment" interior (it looks like parchment paper at least), but it's actually "mushroom." Now, I don't know about you, but I think it might be easier to sell a car with a "perfect parchment leather interior" than a "perfect mushroom leather" one-- it just sounds a bit nicer. The "palomino" color has been a common Mercedes interior color over time (and it does sound nice and exotic, in that "upper-crust, polo-playing, glass-of-chardonnay-while-the-help-serves-the-salmon" sort of way) that I think most people look at a light brown interior in a Benz and call it "palomino."
On the other hand-- look at these samples from World Upholstery--
and my color has two names-- "Champignon" (mushroom), and Parchment. Hmmm... I think I'm calling my interior "Champignon" from now on... Glass of chardonnay, anyone?
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