26a. Mercedes-Benz Codes in German and English

Bron; http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/5350/mbcodes.htm

Met aanvullingen van: http://www.sternschuppen.de/html/mbcodes.htm

Content:

Introduction              2

Polster / Upholstery              6

Karo-Stoff / Checked-fabric              9

Velours / Velours              9

MB-Tex (Kunstleder/"Taxi-Leder")) / MB-Tex (Artificial leather/"Taxi leather")              11

Leder / Leather              13

Verdecke ((fuer Cabrios)) / Soft tops ((for Cabrios))              16

Lacke / Paintwork              17

Serien-Lacke / Standard colours              18

Metallic-Lacke / Metallic paintwork              19

Extras / Options              21

Please note: Codes for paintwork can be same as codes for other trim/options!

Introduction

Compiled list of codes from various sources like MB sales brochures:

This is beta version 2.5 so the small letters ' a' and 'fm' are internal markers for me for the source of info only

And there's still things missing like jump marks and the reference list for the model codes (e.g. W168 = A-class).

XXX are also are internal markers only with this beta version

Very rough and short listing of models:

Current models bold:

Please note that the meaning of some codes changed over the time:

·         E.g. code 212 which was Hinterachse Uebersetzung 1:3,92 / rear axle ratio 1:3.92 with W113
(230SL/250SL/280SL Pagode) and nowadays is ETS Elektronisches Traktionssystem / electronic traction support with S-Class W140 .
In the meantime between these two series this code either was not used or stood for something else.

·         Abbreviations in capital letters at the end of the German description (e.g. code 411 Schiebedach mechanisch Stahl SSD/ mechanical sliding roof steel) denote the usual abbreviations in car advertisements used in Germany.

·         Some of the options became standard during the time a car series was built (e.g. code 422 Servolenkung SV/ power steering for W123 became standard since the beginning of modelyear 1983).

·         Codes in the form of e.g. 42/2 power steering W114/115 denote the older code system. The system was changed to the newer one (e.g. code 422 power steering W114/115) whilst W114/115 series was in production.

·         Some options are not listed which have no code and were officially not available but only on request of _strongly insisting buyers_ (e.g. XXX).

·         Some colours were only available for certain modelyears whilst others were available during the whole time a series was built.  Basically it's possible to get any colour - at least all colours from the German RAL colour-table - for every car series.

·         Some special colours - e.g. these where the colour seems to change with the angle of the viewer and costs DM 11078,-- (no joke!! It`s denotion is designo-LCP) - are not listed.

Basically all cars can be retrofitted with any option which was available with the particular series (!!) - it's only a matter of money and in some cases the cost can be far higher than the value of the car even with the retrofitted option.

Take special care when a driver's airbag is retrofitted - it's not so uncommon sellers retrofitted the airbag-steering-wheel without the airbag-module in it: Always demand the original invoice from an authorized MB dealer for that retrofit. If the seller doesn't have it walk away - there are enough other used MB`s with an undoubtful past on the market!

A CKD-car (option codes 700 and on) is a Completely Knocked-Down car whose components are produced not in the destination country but shipped to it and put together there.

A SKD-car is a Semi Knocked-Down car whose components are only partly put together and then is shipped to the destination country where it's being put together completely.

Both types may have parts which are produced in the destination country so in that case these of course are missing in the CKD- or SKD-sets.

CKD- and SKD-cars are exported to countries having high import-taxes for complete cars but much lower import-taxes for CKD- or SKD-cars.

The assembly of CKD- and/or  SKD-kits often is the first step into a regular car production in that country: You can train staff and find national companies to produce components to enhance the so called local content of the car. Often governments do demand foreign car producers to have a certain local content within the cars produced in their country.

Having said all this what is the benefit of this list?

·         First you can check which options your MB has.

·         Secondly you can check which options the MB you want to buy has - not all sellers tell you the truth resp. know exactly which options their car has.

·         Third you can learn some German or English expressions regarding MB`s ;-)

·         Fourth you can see if the MB was intended for use in another country than yours - if you live in Japan and your car has the option code 708 it originally was intended for the use in India and so the trim level as well as other parts like the suspension may vary from those of MB`s intended for the use in Japan.

·         And fifth you can avoid to be cheated with cars formerly used as taxis or rental or hire cars - some sellers do not tell you honestly this former usage thus cheating by asking for a too high price, that is a widely common practize with taxi- and hire-car owners.

Not that such cars must be bad, but because of the higher mileage and wear they simply must be cheaper than cars used for private purposes only.

Colour code 040 Schwarz / Black is the former German taxi colour (used until W114/115) and colour code 623 Hellelfenbein / Ivory since then is the actual German taxi colour stipulated by the authorities.

Not only E- and C-Class MB`s but also S-Classes and even A-Classes can have been taxis or rental or hire cars!

Since some years it's not uncommon cars used in Germany as taxis do not come with colour code 623 Hellelfenbein / Ivory but with any colour: For the time used as taxis they are covered with a special plastic wrap in colour code 623 which afterwards can be removed without leaving any traces.

In other European countries the colour for taxis is not stipulated by the authorities and so these can have any colour, e.g. a car with code 450 Taxi International from Denmark may come in colour code 904 Dunkelblau / Dark Blue or any other colour but most likely was a taxi.

Especially if buying an European version MB having colour code 040 or 623 always check for hints like codes:

TAXI Codes(also in the below list):

Also check for former use as a rental or hire car and look for hints like codes

Rental/Hire Codes:

Taxis and rental or hire cars often do come with MB-Tex upholstery which otherwise is very seldom chosen by private European buyers.

Remember: Cars used as taxis and/or rental or hire cars need not to be bad cars but due to their higher mileage and wear do have a significantly lower market value than cars used for private purposes only .

Lucky you are if your car has code 994 or 997. These are exhibition cars!

Don't forget:
The accuracy, completeness and actuality of this list is the better the more info I get from you
The more people provide information the better the list will get in the future!

Please note: Codes for paintwork can be same as codes for other trim/options!

http://www.sternschuppen.de/html/mbcodes.htm

MB-Codes “frühe Serien”

Grundsätzlich haben alle verfügbaren Sonderausstattungen einen dreistelligen Code, der nach einem recht willkürlich erscheinenden Prinzip vergeben wurde:

Wenig gewünschte Extras bekamen eine dreistillige Codeziffer zwischen 200 und 399 sowie 701 bis 999.

Häufig georderte Extras wurden zu insgesamt 29 Gruppen zusammengefaßt und zwar von 40 bis 68, die dritte Ziffer bezeichnet das Extra dann exakt.

Beispiel: Servolenkung und Getriebevarianten finden wir unter Gruppe 42, Beleuchtung unter 61, Die Zusammenstellung ist eher zufällig als methodisch.

Im Lauf der Zeit gab es Änderungen, wenn die Nachfrage nach dreistellig codierten Extras stieg, wurden schon mal neue Codes innerhalb der Gruppen vergeben.

Da auf der Datenkarte von jeder Gruppe nur ein Code vergeben werden konnte, gab es innerhalb der Gruppen Zusammenstellungen, wenn mehrere Extras aus einer Gruppe geordert wurden.

Beispiel: Nebelschlußleuchte aus Gruppe 46 hat den Zähler 2 also 46/2.

Zentralveriegelung steht ebenfalls in Gruppe 46 aber mit Zähler 6 also 46/6
Wird beides bestellt ergibt das 46/8 2 plus 6 sind nämlich 8.
 

Wichtig ist noch zu wissen, das auf der Datenkarte nur Extras stehen, die nicht serienmäßig verbaut sind.

Auf der Datenkarte eines W 109 werde ich also niemals den Code für Zentralverriegelung finden, da diese serienmäßig w...