VIN Datacard help please!

[papayars4]

Hey all,

Brand new to the site. Just picked up a 300e AMG 3.4. I was hoping some could provide me a detailed datacard for this build. Thanks in advance!
VIN# WDB1240311B540347

-Mark

 

[WDB748372]

Lastvin.com is a pretty reliable site. Here is a direct link to the datacard!

Looks like this has code 990. Congrats on your purchase!

 

[papayars4]

Thanks for getting back to me. Lastvin has been my go-to while shopping for these older Benzes. I was looking for something a bit more detailed.

I assume 990 makes this more special? Was that a rare option code?

-Mark

 

[WDB748372]

I would suggest contacting amg-classic@mercedes-benz.com for possibly more detailed info as this has the 990 option.

I suppose one could argue that 990 might make it less special as it's not exactly a pre-merger AMG but regardless it's still a special car. I believe this is the first official Mercedes AMG product.

The first cooperation between Mercedes and AMG | W124 AMG & Tuner Cars

I'd say it's rare but not sure how rare 990 coded 300E/CE/TE are. I can find out but will take me a few days.

 

[papayars4]

I’m confused. Wasn’t the first agreement of cooperation between MB and AMG in 1993 which lead to the first car being the C36? My vehicle is a 1991 which would indeed make it a pre-merger.

But I’m more confused with the logic of the vincard having the 990 designation making it less special. Isn’t the consensus on this board that an E60 without the 957 designation on the vincard is not a true E60? How does it make one car more special and the other less special?

I’d say a 1991 with a 990 vin designation and two years plus before the “merger” is pretty darn special to me!

 

[WDB748372]

I’m confused. Wasn’t the first agreement of cooperation between MB and AMG in 1993 which lead to the first car being the C36?

I thought so too but the linked thread proved me wrong which I'd agree with. Sure C36 was the first in North America at least but looks like in Europe there were prior AMG models being offered.

But I’m more confused with the logic of the vincard having the 990 designation making it less special.

It's not logic or a fact, just my opinion and assumption. A per-merger 3.4 with the right paperwork/documents and some distinct feature(s) the original owner requested from AMG that wasn't necessarily available on the official MB AMG cars might make it more unique and special. Who knows what's out there. I don't think a 990 always has to be more valuable.

Isn’t the consensus on this board that an E60 without the 957 designation on the vincard is not a true E60?

Correct. However, a non-957 didn't mean per-merger where one could request features from AMG (I don't think they were fully independent at this point), make their car more unique etc. It meant their vehicle was converted at a later date which, when compared to a 957, made it less desirable.

I’d say a 1991 with a 990 vin designation and two years plus before the “merger” is pretty darn special to me!

Yeah I agree, regardless it's still special.

 

[papayars4]

Only photos I have. Once it’s stateside I’ll post better pics

 

[WDB748372]

Was that a rare option code?

Forgot to report back. Hopefully if I did this right there should be 118 990 coded 124.031.