I would guess there are many who read and contribute to this forum who could afford to buy a new S class but choose not to. I haven't purchased a "new" car in almost 20 years. A car is not an investment, it is an expense. If some folks like to spend their money on new cars, then so be it. After they have bought it and they grow tired of it. If it meets my standards, I may buy it from them in a few years at one third the cost. A co-worker friend of mine always sells his cars and buys a new one after a maximum of five years. I always compliment him on how much he must be saving in repair bills! Now if I could just convince him to try a few Mercedes Diesels!

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D. Blake
86 300SDL 340K (for sale)
83 300SD 205K (gone)
06 Chevy K3500 LBZ CCLB 50K
94 Chevy K2500 6.5L TD 250K (gone)

Sure I do. While many people have more money than me, I enjoy being self-reliant. I'm there to get parts, that's pretty much it. If somebody looks interesting to me, I'll talk to them. I am a very fortunate person, why should I envy somebody over anything?

Hello,
People are the same everywhere you go, I like to say , *the good, the bad and the indifferent*.
Here, the owners of the W210 and 211 look down their noses at my lowly W115, but that does not bother me at all.
I do not go the dealership to buy parts here, they have nothing in stock for W115 or 107, only the specialist suppliers(two shops)have the parts I need.
Have a good week

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Nachi11744

My wife and I have always lived within our means even when I was doing very well. I have always repaired all things mechanical and wood (house) myself. End result - I retired at 55 after 30 years of white collar servitude and A__ K_____ with all the toys which I bought for us and no one else.

When I walk through the waiting areas at the Dealerships, I don't think a minute about those folks. I am there for my reasons. I found it an acccomplishment to be able to work on car as well as sit at a white collar job.

So hold your head high as you pass those on valium, dope with social/interpersonal deficiencies. Like someone said most folks show a rosy exterior, but have some shortcomings. There is no winner to the human race, we all drop dead!

Great question. I love going to mine, just, as been said, hate paying on the average 40% more than Fastlane. My last two trips: a gallon of coolant; and 4 little o-rings that go [2 at a time] on the shaft going thru the oil filter and 6 of the door panel clips. Not the big sales.

My local store is Fletcher Jones in Vegas. Brand new, even has a Maybach sales area, and only one certified salesperson. As I chatted up a salesperson, after freely admitting I was thrilled with my 300DT and not looking, he took me back for a tour and to check out the Maybachs. Very friendly. Made sure I knew to help myself at the Starbucks latte bar. The last trip, a sales assistant was at the parts desk restocking her desk with keychains and 'books'. I asked what the books were as I shamelessly flirted with her, she asked if I was a Benz owner, I said yes, a diesel i got on Ebay for 3 grand. She said, you're still an owner, and gave me one. Like a mid-sized notebook, leather or snakeskin covered, with nice pics of the dealership in the inside covers, and a list of all their phone numbers, including roadside service. The parts folks have been superknowledgable, two young women and one guy. Sharp. And I've enjoyed chatting with other customers in there too.

Might have just had some dumb luck, but I've had nothing but a blast in the dealership so far. Might be partially cuz they are new, but they are two thumbs up in my book.

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1983 300D- silver blue, tan leather, 205,000.
1975 Datsun 280Z. Stock, ready to restore.
1983 San Juan 23. Dry docked.

I go to the dealer when I need to (MB coolant, for example); but I don't pay attention to any other customers unless one happens (has not happened yet) to be driving an early diesel. I drive and wear what I want and just don't care at this time in my life what anyone else might or might not think about that. If you feel uncomfortable at the dealership (or at the salvage yard for that matter) then maybe the problem is not with the other people, but with ...........

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1984 300SD 326,997 miles and counting . . . No wait, my odometer is still dead

its tough to go to an MB dealership and not think that you are somehow out of place. I just remind myself that in 1982, my 240D was a $20k car. OTOH, every time I go there something breaks (first it was a bulb and a turn sig on my motorcycle, then my 300D engine seized on the way home...I avoid the place just on superstition now =)

I also remind myself of how clueless most people (esp. those that take theirs to the dealer ?) are about cars.
My brother took his family and went w/ his in-laws to the Jersey shore (they rent a house out there sometimes, tells you about thier financial situation). On the way back to PA their minivan's (manufr. unnamed, but they have something to do with MB nowadays =) belt pulley fell off. Yes, the pulley that drives the serp. belt that runs all the accessories just fell off. His dashboard lit up and he pulled over to the side listening to the pulley clank around underneath the hood.
Short version of story, the families got a hotel and the next day my uncle from PA arrived w/ some tools- between that and a local McParts store, they drove the minivan home the next day. His in-laws were more than impressed that he was able to fix the van and drive it home, net cost WAYYY less than $100 (I'm sure the wife just kept her mouth shut after complaining about all his cars and tools in the garage =)

Just imagine one of those MB-owning suits in that position. =)

-John

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2009 Kia Sedona
2009 Honda Odyssey EX-L
12006 Jetta Pumpe Duse
(insert Mercedes here)

Husband, Father, sometimes friend =)

On occasion I will pick up some parts at the dealership. Parts department is full of nice people who seem to dig the older models.

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'90 300SE 298k
-300K and it gets put into retirement.
'80 300D 255k Purchased new by family in 1980.

Had a:
1973 220 (gas)
1980 300SD
1992 400E

I really don't care. I like cars and i don't care about the people there.

I walk in, look at the nice new cars and get parts for my old 123 and get out... occasionally someone would ask if I need help and I just politely say "No, Thank you, just looking"

and agree with fahrgewehr2,

some of the parts guys actually know the old models.

I actually picked up my 124 after an emergency repair one day and the guy that brought the car to me (valet) was full of good things to say about the 124 (his younger co-workers were less impressed though )

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2008 BMW 335i Coupe

Before the dealer moved from Temple to Roundrock (that's were the $$'s are) they seperated MB waiting area and the Mazda waiting area by a huge glass partition. The MB area had complimentary soda, coffee, snacks, very comfy seating. The Mazda area had vending and plastic airport style seating.
I always thought that was a little strange - and probably done purposely - but always sat on the MB side even when I brought the Mazda in

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BENZ THERE DONE THAThttp://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...c/progress.gif
15 VW Passat TDI
00 E420
98 E300 DT
97 E420 Donor Car - NEED PARTS? PM ME!
97 S500
97 E300D
86 Holden Jackaroo Turbo D
86 300SDL
(o\|/o)

The first thing I did after buying Marlene was to open a wholesale account with the local MBZ parts distributor. The counter help barely fogs a mirror but no trips to the stealership are required.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Nachi11744, your tone is changing, I am surprised. I always enjoy reading your threads.

As a W210 owner I need to defend our lot.

Prior to the W210 I had a 123 sedan (1982) that was wonderful with the Turbo Diesel .....then why did I sell it after 16 mos. Dumb.

But I wanted a Porsche 911, purchased a 1996 and moved to Phoenix in 2000. I have been very fortunate in my career to have had company cars from 1980-2000. So arriving in Phoenix i am driving the 911 to the office and determine I am wasting miles on a car I wish to keep for a good long time. Cab by the way.

So I see an ad for a MB124 (1987) Turbo Diesel with 186K. I drive it for the next year and a half, very enjoyably by the way. Until one fateful afternoon last August at 106 Degrees. It completely dies one afternoon going aroung a corner. Cracked head syndrome. Drat. Parted the car out with a local parts collector and moved on.

So in March of this year I found my current W210 (1997) 114K on the clock. Love it the best yet. And when I go to the dealer for the few parts I have needed to date for my DIY's. I pass all those lovely people in the stealership and feel for them that they truly probably are sweating the cost of their repair and can't quite be sure which piece of plastic they will cover this one on.

And someone else also posted, that if we as humans feel that way about strangers in a showroom perhaps it is us we need to search internally to determine why we feel they are looking down on US?

I do my own repairs, that I have been doing for 30 years on a variety of cars and love every minute of it.

The old work ethic still holds true....those that most enjoy life are those that get up and work for a living.....Pre-retirement of course.

Enough Rant.

Hahahahaha! Now who really gives a crap what ANYONE in the local MB stealership thinks! RT

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When all else fails, vote from the rooftops!
84' Mercedes Benz 300D Anthracite/black, 171K
03' Volkswagen Jetta TDI blue/black, 93K
93' Chevrolet C2500HD ExCab 6.5TD, Two-tone blue, 252K

The part I love is talking to newer MB owners who don't even know what body style number they are driving. It's also fun to walk through the dealer back to the parts area in torn up grease filled clothes and watching all the dirty looks as if you were lower then dirt.

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Adam Lumsden
(83) 300D
Vice-President of the MBCA International Stars Section

how appropriate, a dealership thread, and i was just there!

I went there trying to get my money back on an inaccurate $250 "diagnosis" they did on my car (i had to try). i made the point that an inaccurate diagnosis isnt very useful to me if that is what i took it to them for. He said because they didnt do the work (i did, didnt fix the problem) he didnt see any reason to believe that is wasnt accurate. He had a real smug tone, he reminded me of a cop. not exactly the experience i was going for.

i never feel welcome in a dealership unless i pretend to be looking at a new chrystler C 240 or something. id be surprised if thats not true for everyone here. maybe its different in the parts department, but it seems like the guys in service dont want to waste their time working on old models, serving customers who are alot less willing to hand over a stack of cash and the keys to their precious car without a second thought.

ps
funny story, i was walking out of the grocery store the other night, and a bum asks me for some change, i shrugged him off. then, when he sees what car im walking to, he says, "hey, thats the diesel, five-cylinder turbo 300D right? what is it, like a '92?" well, that blew me away. I know half of that is written on the back of the car, but I ended up giving him 4 bucks anyway!

see, even the bums recognize what these cars are, yet the loaded guys walkin in the dealership dont even know what thyere buyin! I wonder if that bum used to work in the service department...


later

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1991 300 D 2.5 Turbo, 220k
also in the family:
1981 240 D 185k
1991 350 SD 185k
2006 S 500
2005 SLK 350