European Connection, Kentucky - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

tobybul · #1 06-09-2006, 12:10 PM

Has anyone dealt with this outfit?

1985 300SD Sady · #2 06-10-2006, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tobybul

Has anyone dealt with this outfit?

yes,

quality products, good prices, and good service.

Highly recommended

300SDog · #3 06-10-2006, 02:38 PM

They sell mostly *used* parts and prices are alot higher than junkyards. Otherwise 2+ acres of parts cars, but they wont let you near em if you visit their shop located North of Lexington.

tobybul · #4 06-10-2006, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 240DieselDog

......... but they wont let you near em if you visit their shop located North of Lexington.

What do you mean by this?

300SDog · #5 06-10-2006, 09:37 PM

I went there and wanted to pull a bunch of parts myself - no dice. Also wanted to pick their brains about throwing a 240D engine into a w110 finbody, not alot of helpful advice. The owner of the place is crabby in person.

tobybul · #6 06-10-2006, 09:49 PM

I spoke with a Bernard by phone. Just trying to get some miscellaneous parts mostly body related. Can't say if prices are good cuz don't know condition of items. Relying on his word. Wasn't Abe Lincoln originally from Kentucky? Wasn't he known to be honest? They'll just have to live up to his standards I guess.

olsaltybastard · #7 06-11-2006, 10:28 PM

Lincoln was from Illinois.

techguy512 · #8 06-11-2006, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by olsaltybastard

Lincoln was from Illinois.

But born in Kentucky.

tobybul · #9 06-12-2006, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by olsaltybastard

Lincoln was from Illinois.

"I was born Feb. 12, 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky. My parents were both born in Virginia, of undistinguished families--second families, perhaps I should say. My mother, who died in my tenth year, was of a family of the name of Hanks.... My father ... removed from Kentucky to ... Indiana, in my eighth year.... It was a wild region, with many bears and other wild animals still in the woods. There I grew up.... Of course when I came of age I did not know much. Still somehow, I could read, write, and cipher ... but that was all."

Angel · #10 06-14-2006, 01:28 AM

I didnt find him to be a bad guy - I think he has more parts (albiet used...) than any junkyard I've seen.
I won't aruge that his prices are low - he is trying to make a living at this game. It was tough to wrestle a price out of him (I was looking for a 5cyl to swap in, now I'd just rather buy a running 300D...).
The cars he has are his, and if he doesnt want people pick-n-pull-ing, then its his call - this does drive me toward the local pick-n-pull place more often than Bernies place though, but the local pick n pull doesnt have the inventory that he does.

Other than that, he was never rude to me, but is often busy (driving around, picking up cars himself, picking stuff himself... so I cant comment in the negative. I recommend him mostly becuase of his huge inventory. I did buy an auto trans for my moms 240D from him, he offered a 6m warranty on it (knowing that it'd be me installing it) - I've had no problems with that transmission (but lots of problems with my mom =)

YMMV ?

-John

BobK · #11 06-14-2006, 08:45 AM

Ok, I guess I'll step into it since I'm at least somewhat connected. Bernard's place is in Falmouth, Ky. 40 miles due south of Cincinnati. He has a store in town (on old 1920s' dealership building) and a 70 acre farm out in the hills. Most of his inventory is at the farm. No, he does not let people on the farm. Lotta good reasons for this, most involving liability. He also sells new parts and in that regard is just another retailer. Sometimes his prices are better and probably sometimes they are not. As one poster said "YMMV".
He is a Mercedes only yard. He spends a lot of time at the different auctions buying more stock. He also buys from private individuals directly sometimes. His inventory is huge. It goes back to the early 50s. I think there is over 100 123 chasis cars alone. Heck, I've aready sent a 124, a 126 and a 201 there (and some of those parts are back on current cars).
He works very hard to make sure you get the part you need (and a good working part to boot!) the first time. Sometimes when he is asking a million questions about what you need, people can become bothered. He really is trying to get the part you need. He is sitting there with a stack of books looking for the correct part even though MB may have changed it five times in the production run. Call backs are just not worth the trouble. Easier to deal straight up with people. You would not believe some of the cases of people trying to do him wrong.
He ships UPS all day long. He has a small staff of mechanics, office people and rollback drivers. He can be a cranky old German (so can I-heck I'm always cranky), but the wealth of knowledge on different models is amazing.
For new parts, hit the button at the top of your screen. For used, give him a call.
PS: I'm trying to drag him into the internet age. May even get a web page one of these years.

300SDog · #12 06-14-2006, 11:32 AM

Bob, thats a fair assessment on the old crab apple. What surprised me is he said he's got a stash of 110 finbodies over the phone that motivated me to drive over and take a look. But when I walk into his shop asking about 240D engine conversion into one then he dummies up. Hell, i would have paid real money for somebody to help with the conversion. I've since used him for emergency mail order of an injector line. Other than that, I think he's bottom fishing and missing the big picture. Probly the only "liabilty" on visiting the farm is Bernhard himself armed with a shotgun. My advice is treat him carefully, handled correctly I'll bet you'd find a goldmine of cars on his land. Probly one of the best MB junkyard collections in the nation that nobody will ever see.

BobK · #13 06-14-2006, 01:17 PM

Two stories:
At StarFest in '04, we had a demonstration at a nice restoration shop. One of the cars they were working on was an MB from the early 50s. There was a panel in front of the bottom of the grill that they had to hand make because the original was so far gone. Many, many man hours to do it right. Few weeks later Bernard and I were walking around the farm and I told him about the car I had seen. He walks me around to a group of cars and there sits two of them with the panels intact!
Another one is about the strength of the cars. In all of the cars on the farm, there are only three death cars-cars that somebody died in. All three cases were truely horrendous crashes. I think one was bascially run over (literally) by a large truck. I don't feel immortal in my Benz, but I feel a heck of a lot better than in some of the tin cans I've seen smashed up on the road.
I'm sure somebody could run the place better than Bernard (I probably couldn't), but he does what he does and that's the way it is. He has real talent at some facets of the business and I wish he could concentrate on those areas and leave the rest to someone else. Since he owns the joint, most jobs fall to him for lack of manpower if nothing else. Still, for finding that hard to find part that the dealer wants a million dollars for, or just for the average stuff you want used, it doesn't hurt to call. BTW, conversions are really not his thing. I'm still trying to talk him into putting a 560SEL rear end in an SDL. Just gotta do the differential and the axleshafts, I think.

blueranger · #14 06-14-2006, 08:49 PM

i got a tranny quote today of 500 dollars....

I am thinking it over...

tobybul · #15 06-19-2006, 12:20 PM

Didn't realize I was talking to the owner when I called. I personally have no negative experience with my phone conversation. I need a few body related knick-knack parts. So, I think I need to list down what I need and call him again and get it down.

I'm with you on him having a website but that'll mean higher prices on his parts I imagine. Setting up and running a website ain't free.