380sl Interior Trunk Light

[mbboy]

The bulb inside the trunk of my 1981 380sl has been missing ever since I got my car back from the body shop, and I've been having trouble finding out which bulb to get and where without going to the local stealership.

Google sent me to autopartsfair.com which lists Osram/Syvania 4B100-20844, but clicking on it gives me No Part Found. The Sylvania catalog at Advanced Auto Parts lists 6144, which can't be right as that looks like a license plate bulb. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[abiby]

That's interesting. My '82 takes a 5w festoon lamp which I got at autozone.

However, when I looked in my owners manual I see a twist lock "bulb" listed as a 5W/3 cp.

Why not do it the easy way. Take the fixture out, take into auto store, pick up 5w bulb that fits. Or frankly, it might be cheaper to buy from dealer rather than spend hours looking elsewhere.

[tecqboy]

I've found that the local MB dealer has been less expensive on these Euro lamps than the Auto Zone / Checker store.

[mbboy]

Originally Posted by abiby

That's interesting. My '82 takes a 5w festoon lamp which I got at autozone. However, when I looked in my owners manual I see a twist lock "bulb" listed as a 5W/3 cp.

Yep! I think it is a twist lock. What does 3cp mean?

[/quote] Why not do it the easy way. Take the fixture out, take into auto store, pick up 5w bulb that fits. Or frankly, it might be cheaper to buy from dealer rather than spend hours looking elsewhere.[/quote]

Not the easiest way, but it beats going to my local dealer. I've dealt with a lot of them, but the one i've got now, Cherry Hill (NJ) Mercedes, is the worst of the worst! For instance, you can't use a credit card to order parts over the phone: you have to go there, and come back when the part comes in. Plus, the people in the parts department aren't allowed to process payments. They send it through a pneumatic tube to a cashier in another part of the bldg, and you have to wait there until she gets around to it. Not to mention that they've wanted 50-100% more than other dealers for the same part. So, going to them for even the simplest thing has become the choice of last resort for me.

Thanks for the help

[Strife]

Some dealers are a pleasure to work with - I'd like to believe that I am a pleasant customer to work with, because I know what I want - I've looked up the parts in the EPC. MB of Cinci has been great by mail or pickup, also gives good MBCA discounts.

[meltedpanda]

3cp = 3 candle power ??/ I think

[Strife]

A note of caution, though; there may be a darned good reason the bulb isn't there. Maybe the switch was stuck ON and someone removed it after jumping their battery (I'm not sure exactly how it's constructed, maybe this is flat impossible).

Mine stuck OFF and I had to goof with it a lot to get it to work.

[mbboy]

Thanks for the info. I took the socket out this morning and went to Pepboys looking for a 12V/5W twist in with the correct base. No luck, and I suspect the same for the local Advanced Auto Parts, which has an even more limited selection. So I guess I'll have to go to the dealer after all. Oh well

[mbboy]

Originally Posted by tecqboy

I've found that the local MB dealer has been less expensive on these Euro lamps than the Auto Zone / Checker store.

You were right, tecqboy. My local dealer actually had one, and it was only 2.85. What a surprise! Thanks