Ok, found a car I will probably buy, (If the bank will come thru with the extra $400 on top of my offer that he wants.) Anyway's yes I have done my searches and FAQ reading. I hate the reposts as much as the next.
So It is listed as A GLE- Has the following opts

Woodgrain
power sunroof
pearl white Exterior
Tan Leather leather
bose system
Fog Lights
Sounds GLE to me- However It also has
Rear spoiler - 5 "spoke" rims- Not sure to call them spoke or allow-5 star rims
Now by what I have read is - SE had some color door handles, while GLE and GXE had chrome door handles - This one has white, not chrome, door handles. Any guesses??????

 

BTW its a 2000 model.
I also found this from a previous thread-search
The sixth character is the trim level designator, defined as follows:
E = GXE
G = GLE
V = SE
My 6th digit is a 3

 

Most probably an SE, does it have red tail lights or black?

 

my guess is se with aftermarket woodgrain

 

Ill find out tomorrow, Ill call him back then

 

This car is a loaded SE

 

Thanks for the info. My offer may be out the window and I may not call him back, just for the simple fact that there is no trust from the start. Had it been listed as an SE, I may have still purchased. (Of course at a different price.)

 

My guess is SE..... poss an early prod 2000 before the 17's were out as part of the Meridian package.

2000 and 2001 GLE shared the 16" 5 spokes with the base SE.

If it is an SE then you will see:
WHITE GAUGES
BLACK Trimmed Tails
Body Colored door handles (as you mentioned)

GLE will share the parts with GXE
BLACK gauges
Red tails
Chrome door handles (as you mentioned)

 

Thanks. Us Midwesterner's tend to go above and beyond. Great info.
Maybe even deserves a spot on the exterior styling portion of the faq sticky???? Thanks again.

 

Be carefull this could be a SALVAGED SE that the guy is badging as an GLE because the GLE has higher resale value... As you said if something is amiss ask him if he doesnt know have him pay to have a stealer look it over to damage... I always say fi its too good to be true it is!

 

for first hand experience on a deal being to good.

 

Yea I wondered that myself. I'm real iffy from the start. We would have to go under $9600 which is about another $800 off of where we stand now) after the current deceptiveness for me to even take a look at it. (50,000 miles,,,low miles toooo--another,hmmmmm.)since theres no trust to start with. It may be also that he just bought some wood trim online to jaz it up for himself and thought he could make his cash back on it. I know what to look for though, and am pretty good at spotting the difference between a factory weld and a recent one.

 

Another tell tale sign of what this car could be (trim) ...
Tailights ... red or black?

 

Unless it's debadged, why not just look at the back of the freaking car?

 

tell em to let you see the tittle and run a carfax on it...

 

loaded 2000 SE's did not come with either wood or 5-spoke rims

I have EVERY option that came on a 2000 SE and I have 6-spoke rims and no wood.

I would double check the VIN, I would ask the guy for a picture of the VIN. Badges mean crap... you can always re-badge a car.

From the sounds of it, it could be a number of combinations... a spoiler can always be added. The 5-spokes are cheap on ebay, wood trim is easily installed aftermarket. Your best bet is to verify the VIN.

 

if you can swing it you should get a 2002 instead i regret not buying 2002 all the time

 

He says the door handles are in fact chrome, didnt see it in the pics so Ill get a closer look tomorrow.-Everything looks good so far. The only non-GLE is the spoiler. He said he paid around $500 for it, I'm going to be taking a real good look at the car tomorrow. Thanks all.

The deals not "to good", I don't think. I mean its a good deal, don't get me wrong. But his "lowest price" is still 10 large, his asking price was just under 12 but lowest price is only 300 under book. This time of year, that is just about right in my eyes.

 

GLE is my guess too. Good many of the GLE's in DBQ look like base SE's on the outside and and have spoilers. This thread will be help for the next week or so.

I am .... I am afraid it is a repaired wreck.

T

 

The SE came stock with a spoiler, dealer installed option on G?Es. On SE's the rear parcel shelf (where the sub is located) does NOT have a 3rd brake light.

All DIO spoiler cars should have the 3rd brake light on the parcel shelf and one in the spoiler itself.

Early 2000 SE's (may-july 1999) DID have 5 spoke mags (215-55-16 IIRC). I think they became options on GLE's when SE's got the 17's

http://auto.consumerguide.com/Auto/U...rreviewphotos/

 

Any car that got the factory installed spoiler, no matter of flavor, got the same shelf as the SE.

So how goes it 5th?

 

yes they did, but not "loaded" SE's... since mine is an early build "loaded" SE.

 

At least here in Canada, the early 2000's (produced may-july) only came with 16's. After that all 17's. But alot of things differ between us. There is no such thing as a base SE in Canada.

 

I bought it. No welds on control arm,frame etc. I beleive it has hit a curb once for the simple fact he had about 3/4 ounce weight on front right tire. I bought it anyways. -That can be fixed by extra weights so no biggie. Check out my other post --new owner 5th gen-coolant question....Yikes, If it wasn't so damn cold I would have done a pressure test...Guess only time will tell know if I made a bad decision..The spoiler had no light....It was installed last year and the rims where 16s.....All in all - good shape for being --almost---a 6 year old car. Anyway's check out my other post. Thanks her2k2 and all others.

 

Whats the meridian package

 

Carsarecool,

IIRC the meridian package brings a 'base' SE up to a 'loaded' SE.

 

Sounds like confusion in language.

Base SE = car with standard SE options

Loaded SE = base + all available options

I understood the 2000 SE to have about 3 or 4 option packages
- Leather/Climate Control (forget the actual name)
- Meridian Package --> heated seats, mirrors and 17" wheels (not sure on the wheels)
- Conf/Conv (Bose and power moonroof)
- Traction control (not sure if was part of another pack or not)

 

Ok, and navi wasnt available on the 5.0 gen right? I wasnt sure which ones my car had, cause i've seen SE's with diff. options. I have heated leather, power moonroof, bose, heated mirrors, digital climate and 17" wheels, i guess the only option i DONT have is an auto trans. oh and i dont have traction control either...

What changes from the GLE to SE besides the taillights, does the TC only come in gle trim? My car has those blank plastic rectangles next to the steering wheel on both sides, is that where heated steering wheel controls are supposed to go on GLE? i thought that was only 02-up...