# 07 reg on what seems to be an old car



## Graham_07 (13 Feb 2008)

HAve seen a car lately a few times locally. It's badged 07-county-number just like any other 07 car. But the car itself is a RHD Mercedes Benz E200 of a style which was in vogue in around 1993-1995 (like this one ) . The type with the one light set at front not the two light set as in models from about 1996 onwards. It's in immaculate condition but the style and year just dont add up to me. Does anyone know is there some reason why one could have an old model like this with an 07 plate on. It's just got me curious. It's hardly that MB Ireland had one hidden away in a store somewhere unregistered...or is it ?


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## ClubMan (13 Feb 2008)

Imported and then registered perhaps?


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## Graham_07 (13 Feb 2008)

ClubMan said:


> Imported and then registered perhaps?


 
I may be wrong but I was of the understanding that an imported car carries the year of first registration in it's original country. Otherwise I could have a very cheap 1990 Lexus import badged 08 on my drive. I know a number of people who imported cars and they're all badged whatever year they originally were on the road.


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## ClubMan (13 Feb 2008)

Could well be. I don't know.


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## demoivre (13 Feb 2008)

Graham_07 said:


> HAve seen a car lately a few times locally. It's badged 07-county-number just like any other 07 car. But the car itself is a RHD Mercedes Benz E200 of a style which was in vogue in around 1993-1995 (like this one ) . The type with the one light set at front not the two light set as in models from about 1996 onwards. It's in immaculate condition but the style and year just dont add up to me. Does anyone know is there some reason why one could have an old model like this with an 07 plate on.



Not so smart impending bank robbers using an inappropriate false number plate?


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## csirl (13 Feb 2008)

Maybe its a replica. Apparantly there are hobbyists out there who like to make replicas of expensive or classic cars. They buy a cheap modern car and replace the body work. Usually done to mimic cars like Ferraris, Lamborghis, Bentleys etc., but possibly a Merc?


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## csirl (13 Feb 2008)

Here's an example:

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=652432


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## Graham_07 (13 Feb 2008)

demoivre said:


> Not so smart impending bank robbers not using an appropriate false number plate?


 
Had crossed my mind initially to be honest ! BUt it's been around for a few weeks so hopefully not.



csirl said:


> Maybe its a replica. Apparantly there are hobbyists out there who like to make replicas of expensive or classic cars. They buy a cheap modern car and replace the body work. Usually done with things like Ferraris, Lamborghis, Bentleys etc., but possibly a Merc?


 
The car is in mint condition ( although only seen in traffic as was driving/walking too so no close up of interior ) It's like the white taxi's in the canaries, beautifully done up and the number plates do look newly made. It's intriguing, must try get a closer look .


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## GOBSTOPPER (13 Feb 2008)

www.motorcheck.ie To satisfy your curiosity maybe run a history check on it if you can get the plate numbers. I think modifications,first register,year of manufacture etc are on the report. will cost you a few euro though


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## Chris (13 Feb 2008)

Here's another scenario, that may have happened. Car was in a crash and required new front and back bumbers and licence plates. Garage that did the repair ordered the wrong plates and put them on and the driver hasn't noticed.
This happened to me when I was rear-ended and pushed into the car infornt of me. Collected the car after extensive repairs, looked at the plates, and thought "They're nice and shiny!". The next day the wife looked at the car and said "I didn't know we had a Cork reg car?" The plates were correct, except for the county.
In fairness, when was the last time you looked and checked your registration plate was OK?


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## Mr2 (13 Feb 2008)

Graham, you are right if a car is imported it get's a plate on the year of first reg in the orignal country.

It could have got a new number plates but I have seen where a garage has kept a car in stock for a few years and not registered it at all, then what happens is the car gets sold and comes with a "newer" reg that should be on it actually on it.


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## Graham_07 (13 Feb 2008)

Mr2 said:


> I have seen where a garage has kept a car in stock for a few years and not registered it at all, then what happens is the car gets sold and comes with a "newer" reg that should be on it actually on it.


 
True, but this model went out of manufacture in around 1995 ! Long time to hold a car in stock methinks.


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## Graham_07 (13 Feb 2008)

Chris said:


> Here's another scenario, that may have happened. Car was in a crash and required new front and back bumbers and licence plates. Garage that did the repair ordered the wrong plates and put them on and the driver hasn't noticed.
> This happened to me when I was rear-ended and pushed into the car infornt of me. Collected the car after extensive repairs, looked at the plates, and thought "They're nice and shiny!". The next day the wife looked at the car and said "I didn't know we had a Cork reg car?" The plates were correct, except for the county.
> In fairness, when was the last time you looked and checked your registration plate was OK?


 

Interesting, about the error on the plate, that could be it.  A relative once had a WW reg car. When he had plates changed after a bash the garage had the original county of registration correctly in Irish "Cill Mhantaín" but  put the local county letter  in the reg itself. The owner didn't realise until I showed it to him.


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## Caveat (13 Feb 2008)

A long shot, but what would it take for a car to have a new identity?

What if everything internal that identifies it as a 93-95 car has been in some way altered/replaced?

For example, could so many aspects of the car have been replaced, reworked etc that only the 'shell' is original? Arguably, it could be regarded as a 'new' car then...?

I dunno...


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## WhoAmI (13 Feb 2008)

Graham_07 said:


> I may be wrong but I was of the understanding that an imported car carries the year of first registration in it's original country. Otherwise I could have a very cheap 1990 Lexus import badged 08 on my drive. I know a number of people who imported cars and they're all badged whatever year they originally were on the road.





Mr2 said:


> Graham, you are right if a car is imported it get's a plate on the year of first reg in the orignal country.
> 
> It could have got a new number plates but I have seen where a garage has kept a car in stock for a few years and not registered it at all, then what happens is the car gets sold and comes with a "newer" reg that should be on it actually on it.



You are both correct. A car which is imported and *was* registered in another jurisdiction *must* have the correct age-related plate displayed.

A car which has *never *been registered in *any* country would have to be given a plate reflecting it's date of first registration, ie, '07 in this case. It is entirely conceivable that an older car might either be bought by a collector and not registered or used on the road or just not sold by a garage (less likely - they have to make their profit)

A vehicle can only be given a new registration plate with a different age, e.g. a '98 instead of a '92, if a major component is changed, either the engine or chassis, can't remember which. This is the way it works for motorbikes, so it would be the same for cars.


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## Paulone (13 Feb 2008)

In N.Ireland, when a car was imported, it would just get the next number in the sequence - even though the plates there aren't age-related it would be widely known roughly the age of the car by the number and there are plenty of older cars running around there with obviously younger reg.numbers. I think that would also have been the case in RoI up till 1987 and the introduction of the age-related plate here.

I have heard that stocks of old-model cars can take several years to clear - for example, I have seen old model Octavias running round with plates on them well after the introduction of the new one. I also read once that in the UK three years after the Ford Sierra was launched, more than 50 'brand new' Cortinas were registered.

How could it be though that such an old model Merc has such a new plate on it? It's hardly so glamourous that it would be reproduced.

I suppose it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that it has been sitting new and unregistered in an MB dealership since 1995 until some point in 2007? That's what I call a 'barn-find'!!


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## Caveat (13 Feb 2008)

WhoAmI said:


> A vehicle can only be given a new registration plate with a different age, e.g. a '98 instead of a '92, if a major component is changed, either the engine or chassis, can't remember which. This is the way it works for motorbikes, so it would be the same for cars.


 
That's what I was getting at - TBH, it's sounds like the most likely explanation to me.


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## mathepac (13 Feb 2008)

A private personalised plate? Green "trade" plates?


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## nt00deep (13 Feb 2008)

An '87' plate with a white screw in the middle of the '8' so it looks like '07'


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## r2d2 (13 Feb 2008)

nt00deep said:


> An '87' plate with a white screw in the middle of the '8' so it looks like '07'


 
Now that's a valid explanation.....


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## ang1170 (13 Feb 2008)

I'd say that's the most likely one alright.

As others have said, any import gets the year of 1st registration, not the year of import.

The idea of somone just not registering a car like this for years isn't too plausable, nor any notion of complete rebuilds etc.


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## Graham_07 (13 Feb 2008)

Just to clarify. This is a MB E200 which model style ended in 1995 ( checked on carzone ) The plate is clearly 07-x-xxxxx . It's not 87 or 97 with or without a screw missing.  I guess I'll just have to try & corner the owner & ask them?


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## mathepac (13 Feb 2008)

Graham_07 said:


> J...The plate is clearly 07-x-xxxxx . It's not 87 or 97 with or without a screw missing...


1907 ?


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## Simeon (14 Feb 2008)

nt00deep said:


> An '87' plate with a white screw in the middle of the '8' so it looks like '07'


Yes. This looks about right.


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## eggerb (14 Feb 2008)

Graham_07 said:


> ... I guess I'll just have to try & corner the owner & ask them?


What if they really are stupid would-be bank robbers as somebody suggested above? They mightn't take too kindly to being quizzed about their get-away car!


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## Graham_07 (14 Feb 2008)

mathepac said:


> 1907 ?


 
While Daimler Benz were in production in 1907 I'm not sure that they had that model then


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## Graham_07 (14 Feb 2008)

eggerb said:


> What if they really are stupid would-be bank robbers as somebody suggested above? They mightn't take too kindly to being quizzed about their get-away car!


 

Ok a sly look at the tax/nct/insce disks then in the car park maybe   and if theres a balaclava anywhere to be seen I'm off. !


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## YouNeek (14 Feb 2008)

It's not one of these, by any chance:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SsangYong_Chairman


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## Graham_07 (14 Feb 2008)

YouNeek said:


> It's not one of these, by any chance:
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SsangYong_Chairman


 
Interesting alright, but the one I saw did clearly have the three pointed MB star on the boot and the designation E200.


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## Jospen (14 Feb 2008)

Could be a replica from either India or China...


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## oakrise (14 Feb 2008)

In another sense it could be one of these dubious car seller, a friend of mine bought a car sometimes ago and what happened was that the year on the reg was different to the age and year of the car. For example the Reg was 2002 and the car was actually a 1996 car. She had to discard the car before being caught with it.


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## johndoe64 (14 Feb 2008)

I've seen an 07 reg BMW 3 Series only a few weeks ago but it was 2 models older than the current one and I also wondered how there was an 07 plate on it.


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## Graham_07 (14 Feb 2008)

Whats really strange is the car itself actually looks new. I mean its a minter. If this was 1994 & I saw it in a showroom it would look brand new. Anyways, will let ye's know if I get to the bottom of it.


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## TreeTiger (14 Feb 2008)

Did you look up www.motorcheck.ie - I know it was mentioned on this thread already.  But you don't have to pay money to get basic information, i.e. if you enter in the reg # it should tell you that the car is a white Mercedes E200.  If that information doesn't match what you know, then there's definitely something funny going on!


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## Graham_07 (14 Feb 2008)

TreeTiger said:


> Did you look up www.motorcheck.ie - I know it was mentioned on this thread already. But you don't have to pay money to get basic information, i.e. if you enter in the reg # it should tell you that the car is a white Mercedes E200. If that information doesn't match what you know, then there's definitely something funny going on!


 
Will defo do that, if it says the number belongs to a black BMW X5 with tinted windows I better keep low for a while


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## ang1170 (14 Feb 2008)

It wasn't on trade plates by any chance (these tend to be - or have to be - in green)?


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## Slim (14 Feb 2008)

> It wasn't on trade plates by any chance (these tend to be - or have to be - in green)?


 
Trade plates are reversed i.e. '123 D 07'


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## Graham_07 (15 Feb 2008)

ang1170 said:


> It wasn't on trade plates by any chance (these tend to be - or have to be - in green)?


 
Sorry, Ang, no, its a regular black letter on white background, EU circle on the left in blue as normal, numbers designated as "year-county-number" and county as Gaeilge over the number , just like ordinary cars.


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## leex (15 Feb 2008)

Wonder if it came in through UK and was registered in its later years there.


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## Graham_07 (15 Feb 2008)

leex said:


> Wonder if it came in through UK and was registered in its later years there.


 
You mean import to UK, reg'd in UK then travel to here & reg'd again. I don't know, possibly. however a right hand Mercedes makes me think that it had, from day one been used in a RHD market such as UK or other. 

I have been given one possible solution today which may partly tie in with your post. Apparently some armed forces vehicles used only on bases are not registered. If this was one such vehicle, used say on a british forces base, then registered in 2007 in say the UK on being disposed of by the forces, then that vehicle brought to Ireland and registered here, it's first date of registration would be 2007 and it would, on coming to Ireland, get a 2007 reg here. Seems a long winded thing but a another possible. ONly thing getting me is the colour, white. Not exactly a forces type colour, unless it was used in the arctic !!!


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## efm (15 Feb 2008)

Graham_07 said:


> ONly thing getting me is the colour, white. Not exactly a forces type colour, unless it was used in the arctic !!!


 
Could it have been a UN car?


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## Caveat (15 Feb 2008)

Graham, stick the reg. in here and see if it matches the description for a start:

http://www.cartell.ie/


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## sse (15 Feb 2008)

This is a strange one.

I seem to remember that, when I was working in Slough around 99/00, a car supermarket there had several of these previous model E-classes registered as new but they were several years old, the model running out in 1995 I think. The reason was that they were destined for Far East markets on taxi fleets but the order was cancelled.

They were base model E200 autos in solid colours with a/c and the MB Lex fake leather - white, blue, red etc. They were snapped up as they were great value.

SSE


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## PrincessLeia (15 Feb 2008)

So, did you find out??


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## TONNEMAN72 (16 Feb 2008)

You will probably find it is was previously registered as Q reg in the uk because is was crashed or stolen and the idenity removed. It is then registered in this country on the date it was Q registered in the UK


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## mathepac (16 Feb 2008)

TONNEMAN72 said:


> You will probably find it is was previously registered as Q reg in the uk because is was crashed or stolen and the idenity removed. It is then registered in this country on the date it was Q registered in the UK


So in this case the DVLA will issue a new V05C with a "Date First Registered" of 2007 on a Q plate for the new identity? Won't the V05C show any previous index marks as well?


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## collis (22 Feb 2008)

Graham_07 said:


> Will defo do that, if it says the number belongs to a black BMW X5 with tinted windows I better keep low for a while


 
Graham, lots of suspense...are you any closer to solving the mystery?


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## Graham_07 (22 Feb 2008)

collis said:


> Graham, lots of suspense...are you any closer to solving the mystery?


 

Didnt get the full reg last time I saw it only the 07-county - & some of the digits, need another look before I can check it on that website. And of course it's in your face for a week then you don't see it for days. As soon as I do I'll post what I find out.


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## Welfarite (22 Feb 2008)

I've just read through this whole thread ....great fun....Isn't it amazing how a simple thing such as this, which will have absolutely no effect whatsoever on our lives can get us all going?!? 

And can you picture the poor innocent owner of this car being chased down the road by 100 AAM posters who want to ask him what's the story ?!? I

'm dying to find out the answer ..... stalk that car, Graham, and put us all out of our misery!!!!


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## WhoAmI (5 Mar 2008)

Any more news on this? I don't think the 'Q'-plate equivalent mentioned earlier is a likely solution. Isn't the MB engine supposed to be rather excellent, especially in the model series described in a previous post?


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## MugsGame (5 Mar 2008)

> If this was 1994 & I saw it in a showroom



Are you Lost ?


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## nad (17 Jul 2008)

Any update on this one Graham 07 would love to no the outcome,


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## Mel (17 Jul 2008)

noooooooo! 
you've just reminded me of the rolo saga - this keeps me awake some nights 

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=66226&highlight=rolos


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## Graham_07 (17 Jul 2008)

Haven't sen it since would you believe so no way of finding out. It does, periodically, keep me awake nights wondering.


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## Ancutza (17 Jul 2008)

Another possibility is that it is an import from South Africa.  I remember being out there 10 years ago and several of my collegues were driving Mk I VW Golfs which were freshly manufactured even though the original model went out of production a decade previously or there abouts.

The same thing with Beemers if I remember right, so why not Mercs?

Wheel is on the same side in the RSA so that wouldn't be a giveaway.

Just a suggestion.


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## tallpaul04 (17 Jul 2008)

jasus i just came across this thread the previous poster is bang on. car has been imported from south africa.  a lot of cars over there are brand new old model cars that we had years ago.  a mate of mine rented a brand new MK2 golf over there last year interiors are only part that get updated i bet that merc has the interior of a much newer model


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## leex (21 Jul 2008)

Looks like they're running our old models alongside new models in SouthAfrica VW.

Check out the Citi model here:
[broken link removed]


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## Neilc78 (23 Jul 2008)

It could be a northern car with personalised plates. Maybe someone in the North, for the craic, decided to put peronal plates on their car 07-D-XXX so that they would not draw attention from the Customs as they drive around in the south. I'm fairly sure that this is possible.


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## sse (23 Jul 2008)

Neilc78 said:


> It could be a northern car with personalised plates. Maybe someone in the North, for the craic, decided to put peronal plates on their car 07-D-XXX so that they would not draw attention from the Customs as they drive around in the south. I'm fairly sure that this is possible.


 
eh? NI plates are [three letters always including I or Z][1-4 digits]. They'd have to register the car in Ireland so it'd surely be 04-X-999 or whatever? You can't just pick the year you feel like (the UK and Ireland are the only two EU countries with an age-related plate system, NI does have one too apparently but it's so complicated the plates are freely transferable). There aren't any personal plates in Ireland.

I think the other fella cracked it - it's probably a Saffer that's been imported unregistered. Must have been standing around for a while though, they haven't made them for ages. I love the old Golfs on the SA VW website!

SSE


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## dieseldave (24 Jul 2008)

Could be a kit car?


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