I just found out about this forum and joined this morning and read all the Californa recommedations, compiling a little list that I can take with me when I'm traveling. (Thanks to Brad Pinnell in Stockton.)

There are several good Mercedes shops in the San Diego area where I live, but for owners of older (pre-1995 ONLY) cars, one stands out:

Onager Corporation
789 Energy Way,
Chula Vista, CA
(619) 421-3254

Owner Bob Gunthorp is an ex-dealer Service Manager with his own collection of 14 vintage Mercedes (including an ambulance and a hearse) that was recently written up in MBClassic magazine. He operates an all-Mercedes junkyard, and has used parts, new parts, and a repair shop, and buys and sells a few cars as well. His shop is the reason I can use my 37 and 46-year old Mercedes Benzes as daily drivers. I have been a customer for over 20 years. He's not particularly inexpensive, but he is reasonable and very knowledgeable, and has a lot of hard-to-find parts for older cars. However, he will not work on anything newer than a 1995 model. He may seem a little gruff (he doesn't put up with any BS) but he will "tell it like it is" and won't try to sell you anything you don't need.

David Willoughby
1960 190Db Binz wagon (480,000 miles)
1969 280S (290,000 miles)

Onager corp is the real deal. A friend had his 280 SL brought back to life there and had been very happy with the results. If you have a older Benz, Bob Gunthrop and his team are great. The grease on his hands isnt from fixing the printer!