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Do you need to know what all of those numbers mean? If you have a Mercedes-Benz manufactured after 1980, then check out the Mercedes-Benz Club of Russia website. There is a free online VIN decoder - from Russia with love! Here is an excerpt from the site:

This service is primarily intended as a first aid in choosing and acquiring a Mercedes-Benz car. We also consider it to be our contribution into fighting stolen cars sales. We believe that detailed car data should be available to potential car buyer, as these are already accessible to criminals anyway. It is a well-known fact that Mercedes-Benz cars are very popular among automotive criminals and frauds. It is typical for them to forge vehicle identification, factory plates, documents, re-finish cars and change their options. It is also common for legitimate car owners to add or remove options, change interior and exterior finishing or introduce other changes into car design. < < MORE >>

For other vehicles check out the article page here. We have a general VIN decoder article on the list.

Additional Resources
The AMG Mercedes-Benz Enthusiast's blog recommended repair shop page. 

Simple calculator to determine how many miles your car gets per dollar of fuel. Enter the MPG for your car and you can quickly calculate your MP$. Here’s the link:

Miles Per Dollar Calculator

Want to read and clear fault codes without going to the Mercedes-Benz dealer? If so, and you want to do so frequently you might be interested in purchasing a code scanner.

Here are two links for those interested in learning more about Fault Codes and Scanners:

Pulling Fault Codes

MB Scanners at K6JRF Auto Page

Edmunds has an interesting article on the True Cost to Own vs. True Market Value

To get your attention they compare the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG to the Chevy Cobalt SS, along with other comparisons. The performance vehicles score well when you add “value” to the equation.

Buying a car is a lot like going to the amusement park and entering the room of mirrors. Some people cruise right through, but most spend their time negotiating dead-end passageways. But that’s entertainment. Purchasing a car isn’t.

Let’s say the amusement park is having a contest and the person that goes through the maze with the fastest time wins $5,000. Now, let’s say your brother-in-law was on the construction crew that built the room of mirrors and he has a copy of the blueprints. Well, it would be unethical for you to enter the contest with his blueprints, but when it comes to buying or leasing a car not only is it perfectly ethical to have a copy of the dealer’s blueprints – it’s very costly if you don’t.

You can spend countless hours reading every book, buyer’s guide, and website related to car purchasing and still get taken. What’s really needed, in addition to the “dealer’s blueprint” for the car your buying, is industry knowledge and negotiating experience. Is there a “best time of year” to purchase a new car? Yes. Can the dealer on the south side of town have better “hidden” dealer incentives than the dealer on the north side of town (or visa versa)? Absolutely.

Should I let the local dealer “locate” a car for me since they don’t have the car I want on the lot? Absolutely not! You’ll over pay for sure and there are several ways for the dealer to increase their profits. Also, you’ll likely lose the ability to negotiate a lower price in this situation.

You have Kelly Bluebook and Edmunds dealer invoice pricing in hand and now you’re ready to enter the dealership right? Think again. Dealer invoice from these sources is only the tip of the iceberg. Don’t even think of entering a dealership until you have all the information you’ll need to get the best deal. Until you have all the information in hand, the only reason you should enter a dealership is to test-drive cars to determine which car you want to buy.

There are numerous dealer scams and many “ethical” dealers. Differentiating between the two isn’t rocket science, but you do need the right tools, the right information, and possibly a Car Buying Coach (CBC).

If you want a Coach with the knowledge and automotive experience to help you get the best deal, contact us. We are able to help on a limited basis (time permitting). We charge a nominal fee for CBC services and we’re totally upfront about our fees. You can save thousands and it doesn’t cost you anything to call us to find out more about our services. We hate to see people get taken when purchasing a car because there is absolutely no reason it should happen. We’re fighting for you, the consumer, and we’re winning.