Hi. I want to order a part and it says the left side. Is that as you look from the front of the car back or as you sit in the car, i.e. driver would be left side of car and front passenger would be right? Which way is it? Thanks

As you sit in the car.

...that goes for almost any vehicle/equipment/etc that is land operator driven.. L/R orientation is always taken "From Operator Position"..

Aircraft and marine vessels are Port/Starboard = L/R , taken from normal direction of travel.
..and nothing is taken from looking at the engine from the front of the car...but it happens all the time..

Another oddity that people use is drivers side/passenger side..again, incorrect b/c we have both LHD/RHD cars and an International Forum...

Refer to "driver side" and "passenger side," not right and left.

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Arthur just explained why not to do that - this is an international forum.

Hi Arthur,

do I understand you right, that left side is always left side no matter where the driver sits? I mean, the orientation is the same for LHD/RHD cars ?

Thanks!

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1989 300CE - R.I.P. Dec 29 2007
Other MBs (sold): 1992 300E-24 - 1979 350SLC - 1984 230E - 1990 300CE

Left side is left side when viewed from the rear. Always; never from the front. This is how the service and parts manuals will label things.

Again, "Driver's" or "Passenger's" side is less specific.

That is correct.

The drivers seat is on the Right of a RHD and it is on the Left of a LHD car, but both would have the same R/L orientation b/c the driver has simply moved over to an opposite side, but HIS L/R are still the same ..a RHD and LHD would still have the same RIGHT/FRONT fender, for example..
So, you would still have the same R/L orientation, BUT..some parts are specific to RHD or LHD cars , so in that case Benz Parts books will make a RHD/LHD notation [ like exhaust pipes.etc]. That is why on a chassis like
113.043.100213 [ one of my cars for example], you will notice the 7th digit is a 1. That means that chassis is a LHD car..if it was a 2 , it would indicate the car as being a RHD car..which is why the parts guys want your chassis # ...they can tell a lot just from that #. [ unless the guy is one of the newer parts guys..he just wants to know if you want fries with that ]...

Left = US Driver's side

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