[Funkytuqe]

Hello,

I am currently purchasing insurance for my 1991 500SL. The VIN for my car is, WDB1290661F033269. The insurance company is telling me that the Vin is wrong and that the 10th digit should be an "M" to denote 1991. I ran the Russian Vin check and my VIN comes out fine, but if i type in the "M" in place of the 10th digit (replace the "1"), the VIN check comes up with nothing.

I have imported the car from Japan, i live in Clagary Canada. Has anyone had this problem before?? Could it be that there is a discrepancy between North American VINs and Jspec/euro VINs?

Any help would be appreciated, I'm not sure what to do.

 

[chriswufgator]

I ran into something like this with my credit union 10+ years ago, when trying to finance a car.

Most british car manufacturers have a "& 1/2" model year, versus german and american cars that just do whole numbers. So anyway, I wanted to buy a Certified Pre-Owned 1995.5 range rover, and the credit-union just couldn't figure it out.

They kept telling me the value of the car was $30k less than I wanted to pay for it, and they would not listen to any explanation, because their system had no way to accept the ".5", it was either a '95 or it was a '96. It was like "well, the computer says this, so that's what we're going to do". Meanwhile, that was when the body style changed, and the 1995.5+ was the new one, and the 1995 was the old body style, and the new one really WAS worth $30k more than the old one at the time.

I ended up financing it through land rover at a higher rate, because I couldn't get the stupid CU to get past their computer issue. You may wind up having to find another company to go through, when they get to the point where it's your explanation vs. what the computer says, the computer will win.

 

[cthomson]

I am in Calgary, and my car was imported as well. We fought with our insurance company for weeks regarding the VIN. The issue is that there is a North American Database of VIN #'s, and the one doesn't work with this database. Our insurance company ended up using an L in place of the one...just to get us a pink slip.
There is nothing wrong with your VIN, and I would suggest supplying the documentation to them (including a printout from the Russian Web) from the import of the car.
If they end up entering a different # on your registration, make sure they supply a letter to keep with your pink slip.

 

[RedLiner]

I think that the problem is that the VIN# is a European German factory VIN (my R129 has exactly the same format).
I believe that USA and Canadian vehicles have a different VIN format .

 

[GeeS]

The Vin Decoder certain has no trouble with it... Turns out it's a Japanese version.

VIN WDB1290661F033269
Model 500 SL
Chassis 1290661F033269
Engine 119960 12 018201
Transmission 722353 03 535493
Order 0 1 839 18673
Approx. year 1991
Lights BOSCH
Wiper BOSCH
Dealer Japan (839)
Interior fabric black+anthracite (071)
Paint
199 metallic blue-black (с 01.01.1983)
199 metallic blue-black (с 01.01.1983)
Options
241 left front seat electrically adjustable with memory feature. only applicable to w 210 when installed in conjunction with code 275. (с 01.03.1983)
242 right front seat electrically adjustable with memory feature. only applicable to series w 210 when installed in conjunction with code 275. (с 01.03.1983)
246 mirror with memory circuit (с 01.02.1988 по 01.09.1996)
291 airbag for front passenger
airbag for driver and front passenger (с 01.07.1987 по 30.09.1993)
airbag for driver and front passenger (if driver airbag standard - then only for passenger)
341 additional lamp (с 01.09.1982)
440 tempomat (cruise control) (с 01.09.1975)
498 Japan version (с 01.07.1970)
524 paintcoat preservation (с 01.01.1964)
581 automatic climate control (с 01.01.1977)
592 heat-insulating glass, all-around, heated rear window pane (laminated glass), band filter
green heat-insulating glass all round, heated rear window, laminated safety glass - tinted strip (с 01.01.1972)
600 headlamp wiper/washer (с 01.08.1971)
613 lamp unit, asymmetrical, l.h. traffic (с 01.02.1963)
740 folding top fabric9001 black (с 01.08.1972)
801 Change of year of model, last figure shows new model year
873 seat heater for left and right front seats (с 01.02.1984)
880 closing system with infrared remote control (с 01.02.1988)
881 central locking inside for roadster pigeonholes (с 01.02.1988 по 30.11.1991)

 

[Funkytuqe]

Hey guys, thanks for the responses. I guess i will have to duke it out with my ins broker. The car will be on the road this week for the first time (first time for me anyways) so i'm pretty exited. Hey GermanStar, thanks i had actually run that Vin Checker already and i will send it to my broker as cthomson recommended along with a picture of my VIN tag and import documents.
Cheers!

 

[bearone2]

i followed this thread and see a free vin check toward the bottom, by the add/reply box.

it's free for $24.99.

 

[GeeS]

Hey guys, thanks for the responses. I guess i will have to duke it out with my ins broker. The car will be on the road this week for the first time (first time for me anyways) so i'm pretty exited. Hey GermanStar, thanks i had actually run that Vin Checker already and i will send it to my broker as cthomson recommended along with a picture of my VIN tag and import documents.
Cheers!

Yup, I don't see how anyone can argue with that. :thumbsup: