Legal EPC and WIS Software
 

EPCnet Online is an official Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC site for hosting spare parts documentation for Mercedes-Benz cars and light trucks.

EPCnet is a browser-based Electronic Parts Catalog which allows the user to specify virtually every spare part for the models covered. An intuitive graphical user interface permits easy navigation though the extensive parts catalog. Brief tutorials are available at no charge to familiarize new and experienced users with the Mercedes-Benz spare parts group system and the selection of the appropriate part for your particular vehicle.

https://epc.startekinfo.com/epc/home.jsp

Cost = $20 - $24 a year.

Very interesting......................!
 

Take a look at the Site's " Preview " feature:
https://epc.startekinfo.com/epc/preview.jsp
It seems to work best if you " SAVE " the file to your computer first!
Regards,

https://epc.startekinfo.com/epc/
 

https://epc.startekinfo.com/epc/

You can also get WIS through the same website.

STAR TekInfo is an official Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC site for hosting service and repair technical documentation for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

I'd sure like to see more on this FORUM looking into this!??
 

Bill... thanks for putting the pricing information right up front!

I think there is a lot of potential in such a reasonably priced "for-a-fee" WebSite... and believe such could become a service akin to the manufacturer's and State authority VIN look-up services with those who have subscriptions helping out others on this FORUM.

This time my browsing on this WebSite found the following:

(a) "Internet Explorer 7 and Windows Vista® are not supported" and

(b) When I tried to follow this lead: " A detailed listing of models covered by this information can be found on the About Site / Coverage page "... when I tried to follow this lead, I could NOT find the "About Site / Coverage page" !!

RE: (a) - IMHO this technical fact and their "minimum" hardware requirements will probably prevent a majority of us from even considering this service. Despite the reasonable pricing... many, if not most of us try to keep our Operating Systems (OS) performing optimally and I suspect this will grow in time... so unless those promoting this "for-a-fee" WebSite... unless they upgrade to support the latest version of WinXP and/or Vista, this product will whither on the vine! We are always under pressure to upgrade hardware, primarily to accommodate additional graphics capabilities so that is nothing new... but it seems strange that with such demanding hardware requirements that they would NOT support WinXP V7 and "Vista" which are enhanced to handle graphics much better.

RE: (b) - All I can do is report my findings... or lack of findings!

Does anyone out there have a better grasp of the technical side of this WebSite than my obviously ability??
Regards,

You are needlessly agonizing. Support means, "May have issues". It does not mean that it won't work. Very high probablility it will work just fine. I'm sure I visit sites that don't support Internet Explorer 7, but I use it every day without problem.

Also remember that when Microsoft comes out with a new operating system, backward compatability is a very very big thing. It must be backward compatible or users will revolt.

So relax.

Steve

Thanks Steve... you're right and down deep I knew it !
 

Now I'm waiting for someone who has tried this "for-a-fee" WebSite service to comment specifically about it and maybe post a sample of what a typical SEARCH gave them... Hint, hint, to all you heavy parts researchers!
Regards,

It's working fine with IE 7 for me.

The caution means they haven't tested it themselves, not that they have and it didn't work.

Win XP is fully supported; it is Vista that isn't.
Another thing: Definitely don't use Java 6, the site locks up. Java 5 (which they give you in the installation instructions) is the latest you can use. And, softconsult is spot on, IE7 and Vista will probably be OK (Java 6 will NOT), but I know they are working on it, since you can't buy a new computer without vista these days...

Finally, this page shows the coverage, same place with the prices.

But, if you have a US version car, everything the dealers can see is also on this site - because this IS the site the dealers use through their star tek info access. Same server and all.

Have fun all,

Newbie
PartsGuy

Stupid question?....Perhaps.
Is there a place to plug in a MB part number and have it tell you what different models the part will fit?
I'm asking because I've acquired a bunch of parts from a shop/salvage yard that went out of business and I'd prefer to not misrepresent the parts as I sell them.

Any help is appreciated greatly!

Although Startek says they don't support Mac OSX, I was able to have it function on my system [10.3.9 on a 733 MHz G4]. Unfortunately, either from Security Updates or Maintenance, it doesn't completely load the Java routine now because it can't find "hpwin32" file.

Any ideas are appreciated.

Bob

Anybody know WHICH TYPE of part numbers this site provides? Is just the MERCEDES number (like you get from the dealer), or does it show the MANUFACTURER'S number (like Bosch would stamp into a distributor they made)?

the Mercedes number alone doesn't help me: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/192128-part-number-needed-1982-model-250-euro.html

epc provides just the the MB part #. Did you search bosch.com?
Bob

yep, searched bosch.com without luck.
the US site doesn't list the car, and the German site doesn't offer any searching by application...

guess the EPC doesn't really do it for me...as my local import parts sales place never can make heads or tales of those MB part numbers. looks like all it would do is let me know which part number to tell the MB dealer, instead of describing the year/model/etc...

hmmph.

Out of curosity, it tried StarTek epcNet MB online catalogue. It works! I sent email to them. They responded that they made minor changes, but still don't support Mac OS.

Hopefully, we Mac OSX users can continue to use it.

Bob

Are you using an emulation or straight OSX.x?