Rant: MB Dealers Parts Dept know nothing about diesels! - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

97 SL320 · #16 04-13-2012, 10:25 PM

" MB Dealers Parts Dept know nothing about diesels! "

Dude, it's a nearly 30 year old car! Get over it, you can't expect every parts dept to know every detail of your car. Using the net to find parts can't be compared to what the dealer has for their approved parts look up system. Just be glad that at least some parts for older cars can be had.

I do have a solution, volunteer at the local Mercedes dealer offering parts lookup support to those with older cars.

JamesDean · #17 04-14-2012, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holmesuser01

I love using the EPC to get part numbers for my Benz.

Our local MB dealership used to have a guy there that understood how his part computer worked, and rarely got me the wrong parts. He's gone now, and everything I've ordered by their new guy has been wrong, at least once.

Since I started using the EPC, nothing has been wrong.

If you are having trouble launching the EPC, try reading up on the system requirements. I had to update adobe to get it.

The EPC is an awesome resource! I've been subscribed to it for 5 years just about now.

It was having some issues a few days ago, that might explain OP's problems with it.

I've only been to the dealer twice for parts. Once was for keys and another was for engine mount bolts. This was prior to being aware of XXXX

The dealer always charged me list price on everything, XXXX was discounted but still from mercedes!

JamesDean · #18 04-14-2012, 04:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edge

I went to two dealers today to buy and replace the hard plastic vacuum line that runs to the banjo bolt. Both parts dept didn't know what i was talking about and the EPC parts diagrams are horrific. You can't find anything. One suggested that i go to an auto parts store, which didn't have anything. I finally went to Home Depot to find something similar. The old vacuum line was aged hard and didn't have any pliability to push it on the banjo bolt. It had broken off which made the 300CD sluggish and slow as molasses up hills. Now can they make the stub end when you have to thread the line at the firewall any shorter?! It took me forever to get it in there...

On the contrary, the EPC diagrams are incredibly useful. I replaced my boost line a long time ago on my 300SD, it was overly long. I still haven't trimmed it down. Its largely useless now as the ALDA broke and I just removed it.

edge · #19 04-14-2012, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 97 SL320

" MB Dealers Parts Dept know nothing about diesels! "

Dude, it's a nearly 30 year old car! Get over it, you can't expect every parts dept to know every detail of your car. Using the net to find parts can't be compared to what the dealer has for their approved parts look up system. Just be glad that at least some parts for older cars can be had.

I do have a solution, volunteer at the local Mercedes dealer offering parts lookup support to those with older cars.

Dude, they've got old guys in there that own diesels, they have the EPC (which is poorly organized) and they have customers to come up asking for parts for 30 years. Don't you think they would be more resourceful that me and certainly you? They don't have an "approved" list, fyi. They have the EPC and experience.

JamesDean · #20 04-14-2012, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edge

Dude, they've got old guys in there that own diesels, they have the EPC (which is poorly organized) and they have customers to come up asking for parts for 30 years. Don't you think they would be more resourceful that me and certainly you? They don't have an "approved" list, fyi. They have the EPC and experience.

My Mercedes dealership is also a Ford dealership, so I've got both. The few times that I've gone I've not had any problems.

The EPC is an acquired taste. If you know how to use it, its a good resource. If you dont, sit down with it for a few minutes its not that difficult to figure out.

There is a method to its madness.

If you look at a part number, say 005 545 05 32. Group 54 is electrical equipment, nearly all the electrically related parts, control units, etc have that 54 in their part number.

The same goes for most of the other categories.

Brian Carlton · #21 04-14-2012, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edge

Thank MBeige and Fulcrum. It's amazing that the MB parts guys couldn't find it!

It's not amazing at all. The personnel at the dealership are not trained on any vehicle older than about five years. The only way you get somebody with any knowledge of your vehicle is if that person was trained on your vehicle at some point in the past. Being that your vehicle is 25 years of age, the individual would need to be a minimum of 45 years old...........50 would be better.

Have you seen any 50 year old parts guys at the dealership? If you find one, then you can be somewhat confident that he'll understand WTF you are talking about. Normally, you'll be better served if you bring them the part number that you seek.

I found a source online for genuine OE parts...........don't even need to go to the dealer. Shipping is a flat $8.50 unless the parts get heavy (not usual with the typical OE components that you can't get anywhere else). I could burn $8.00 in fuel just driving to the nearest dealer and back.

sokoloff · #22 04-14-2012, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martureo

I would never walk into a dealer if I didn't have a part number ready. I started fiddling around with EPC enough to the point where I could get almost any part I wanted.

The parts counter guys actually know me by name now and give me wholesale pricing (the dealer doesn't make a cent). I asked why and one of them told me that the figure I'm doing their jobs so I shouldn't be charged extra.

I try to rarely buy from the dealer unless it's a part that needs to purchased there, either by no other option or the aftermarket options are sub par.

There are typically three prices in the parts matrix. There is MSRP which some dealers add a percentage to. Then there is wholesale which is typically 20% less than MSRP. Many dealers will sell to you at wholesale. Then there is cost which is generally 20% less than wholesale and is what the dealer pays. So if your dealer is selling to you at wholesale, it is pretty likely that he is still making a profit on the item.

martureo · #23 04-14-2012, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sokoloff

There are typically three prices in the parts matrix. There is MSRP which some dealers add a percentage to. Then there is wholesale which is typically 20% less than MSRP. Many dealers will sell to you at wholesale. Then there is cost which is generally 20% less than wholesale and is what the dealer pays. So if your dealer is selling to you at wholesale, it is pretty likely that he is still making a profit on the item.

Oh, I'm not going to argue with you on this at all. I don't know enough about the business to say anything other than what I'm told.

All I know is that I get quoted one price and then I say who I am over the phone and sometimes it's less than half the initial price. This may be because they mark stuff up like crazy, but I have no clue.

In the end all I care about is that I'm not paying as much,

buckstersdad · #24 04-14-2012, 09:35 PM

I was in need of some vacuum line for my 98 E300D. The line that runs from the vacuum manifold wye to the turbo wastegate modulator. Of course it was on a weekend and the auto parts stores and home depot don't carry any hard line that small. Finally one auto parts store suggested that I see the local Peterbuilt repair service.

I stopped in and showed the manager what I needed. The old line was still on the car for him to see what I needed, and he just reeled me off 8' of the stuff and just gave it to me.

Needless to say I was very greatfull. They had the hard line stuff in many sizes. I guess they use it for both air line and vacuum on the big rigs.

Same thing for fuel lines also. Just an "Outside the Box" source that I would have never thought of.

Oracle12345 · #25 04-14-2012, 10:03 PM

im fortunate that my parts guy at the dealership was a mercedes tech at the dealership so he knows what im talking about whenever i need part

edge · #26 04-19-2012, 03:45 PM

Here is the actual hard plastic pressure line with the banjo bolt heat shrinked attached:

MBeige · #27 04-19-2012, 04:09 PM

So which parts did you order, did you get both - one from the intake to valve, and one from the valve to the injection pump ALDA?

spdrun · #28 04-19-2012, 04:44 PM

Dealer employees be ign'ant. News at 11.

edge · #29 04-19-2012, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBeige

So which parts did you order, did you get both - one from the intake to valve, and one from the valve to the injection pump ALDA?

I just got one, they are the same part number. I also got the two washers for it.

Clemson88 · #30 04-19-2012, 06:40 PM

The guys at Long's in Chattanooga are well trained to research parts on computers. I think that is all you may expect from most websites that sell parts for our old cars.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode