Be careful with fake ML

[Linas.P]

Just noticed this car popped in... and as far as I remember this is cheapest RC300h ever:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202201241694213

Overall, car quite tired, scratched-up, very high mileage, trash tires. kerbed wheels - so I am sure more experienced buyer would walk away from it anyway... however there is clear "fraud" going on - it has premium sat-nav which comes with decent 10 speaker system, however it does not have ML. It is clear that seller is really trying to highlight that it apparently does, with fake stickers of ML system and several close-up pictures showing it is ML. This is not how ML system look on RC!

[Mincey]

Given the state of the boot lid, the previous owner clearly liked sticking inappropriate badges on it. It's the only RC-F Hybrid I've seen. I may be wrong though, it often happens.

[Linas.P]

Fake m-sport (or f-sport) badges is sort of more common, but this is first time I have seed somebody trying to fake ML... in one hand is not known enough to make much impact anyway, but in other hand it is probably easier to fake as most people would not know the difference.

[ISF V8 JAY]

🤣🤣

[Initial P]

M badges are common place on the BMW 520D or most 4 cylinder models! chav life.

I guess a real ML sound system should have the amp in the boot my current GS4 & past GS3 had them.

[Linas.P]

Both premium and ML has amps, just on premium it is unbranded, and on ML it says ML. Only the poverty line entry level horrible 6-speaker system does not have amp.  

8 hours ago, Mincey said:

Given the state of the boot lid, the previous owner clearly liked sticking inappropriate badges on it. It's the only RC-F Hybrid I've seen. I may be wrong though, it often happens.

Just now realised what you meant... indeed. I am surprised this midlands dealer didn't list it as RC-F 😄

[ColinBarber]

Apparently it has the even rarer MARK LEWISON SOUND SYSTEM, not the common Mark Levinson one.

[Linas.P]

I was wondering looking at over bits... Painted callipers, RC-F badge... maybe previous owner was "handy one" and bought ML system of eBay from some older car (say IS250) and fitted some parts of it and then felt the need to put the badges on the speakers. This would obviously make no sense, because premium 10-speaker system in RC would be better than ML in old IS250. But who knows.

Because it is not like you can go an buy ML badges and ML generally don't put badges on the speakers, except the one on the sub-woofer in the rear.

EDIT ... no ... I was actually wrong, you can indeed buy ML badges, there is nothing that you can't buy on AliExpress 😄 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001159540957.html

[ColinBarber]

Yes, I would have thought it was the previous owner that got carried away, not the dealer. Surprised they didn't change the F Sport wing badges to F ones.

[Linas.P]

Or indeed the engine... that would be the car on my short-list 😄

I wonder if dealership got scammed... traded the car and owner was like... "this car has all the options - Mark and LeWison audio". But I guess they should have known better.

[hockeyedwards]

9 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

I wonder if dealership got scammed

Yuppppp, shoe on other foot for a change... The only thing I don't like is the fact that it doesn't have more ML badges on it!

[Linas.P]

Where else would you like the badges to be? 😄

[H3XME]

On 2/1/2022 at 9:11 PM, Linas.P said:

I wonder if dealership got scammed... traded the car and owner was like... "this car has all the options - Mark and LeWison audio". But I guess they should have known better.

It's being sold in Birmingham.. says it all😂