Serial # Check

UH OH!!!

#41217 is NOT a pre 1981 car. It is a 1982.
The complete vin # for that car is ZFFEB06B000041217

 

Dave:

Where do you find the "ZFFEB" prefix? I have an 82 400i, and it's just 36919, stamped on the top of the steering column.

Under the hood, on the fenderwell, there's the same number stamped with a FCL-prefix.

 

#36919, your car, is an early '82. (isn't it the red/tan with black inserts that Cannillo had for sale?)
The prefix "ZFFEB" started at #39023.

 

You are correct, sir!

 

You're getting that because all 400is were not US imports but grey market cars.
I assume you're trying Carfax.....Carfax won't work for non-US imports.

 

Actually you can get a Carfax on a 400i if it has the 17 digit VIN. I know because I've done it on my 1983 400i.

John

 

right, 17 digit will carfax.....5 digit will not.

 

Hi Ed,

In my database, I have this 400i Automatic s/n 41217 as light metallic blue/blue in Florida in 1988. Could you please tell me if these are still the current colours and the State in which the car is located now? (so I can update my database on this car). Thanks!

FYI: ZFFEB06B0000 is indeed a standard Euro VIN for the 400iA. The 400i manual has ZFFEB07B0000 as a standard Euro car. In case you look at a Swiss model, the "B" following the "06" or "07" will be an "S".

Best regards

Lars T.

 

Hi Ed,

Very interesting colour and a refreshing change! How about the interior? It looks black or maybe dark blue?

Ciao,

Lars T.

 

Ed - any idea of the number of the other poor 400 in the background?

 

Hi Ed,

A little bit of additional information on the 400iA:

"#41217 is a 1981/82 400i Nero Met with Nero int Automatic. It was sold in Oct '88 for $44000 in Florida by Sports & Imports, Miami with 10,000 miles on the clock."

The above is from the database of my friend Andrew Wass in New Zealand, who kindly provided this info.

Ciao,

Lars T.

 

Can anyone tell me what year ZFFEB06B000055139 corresponds to? I was told the car is an '85 but it may be titled as the year it was imported.

Thanks!

 

Unfortunately a European VIN like the one above doesn't show the model year or the build year.

However, when comparing this VIN to many, many US-VINs "surrounding" it, it should indeed be a 1985.

Ciao,

Lars

 

Yep, 1985 car.
Listed as a salvage title vehicle. If I'm not mistaken this is the car that was rolled.

 

Yeah, I took on the project - I was told a tree fell on it, but a rollover seems more likely...thanks for confirming the year for me.

Preston

 

Agree, it might well be one of the last 14 400i (11 autos and 3 5 speeds) made in January and February 1985. The last 400i serial number was 55523.

Good luck with the project!

John

 

There were 8 more autos built after this one.
The last 5 speed 400i was # 55021.

 

The last 400i 5 speed I have in my database is 55353, brown metallic/tan, spotted in Germany in 2006.

Ciao,

Lars T.